Business Negotiation Terms

adjective characterized by bitterness or sharpness in speech, behavior, or tone

• The negotiations ended in an acrimonious dispute between the two parties.
• Their argument turned acrimonious very quickly.
• Things got real acrimonious between them.
• The tension in the room was so thick, you could almost taste the acrimonious atmosphere.

noun a verbal or written offer to do work or provide services for a certain price

verb to approach or arrive at a place

• The company made a bid to come up with a new marketing strategy.
• I heard that they're making a bid to come visit us next weekend.
• I don't think their bid to come to the party will be successful.
• His bid to come out on top in the competition was met with fierce competition.

noun a sudden or abrupt cessation

verb to separate or discontinue abruptly or forcefully

• The negotiations between the two countries may break off if they cannot reach a compromise.
• I had to break off my vacation early due to an emergency back home.
• Let's break off for lunch and reconvene in an hour.
• Sometimes it's necessary to break off toxic relationships for your own well-being.

noun a position in which a player's king is in check and there is no way to remove the threat, resulting in the player losing the game

verb to place (an opponent's king) under an attack from which it cannot escape and thus winning the game

• After a series of strategic moves, the player finally achieved checkmate.
• Ha! Checkmate, buddy!
• I totally checkmated him in that game.
• Her argument was so strong, it was like delivering a checkmate to her opponent.

adjective showing a willingness to fight or argue

• The debater's combative attitude made it difficult to have a productive discussion.
• He always gets so combative whenever someone disagrees with him.
• She's always so combative, like she's ready to throw down at any moment.
• The storm clouds gathered in a combative display, ready to unleash their fury.

verb to bring to an end; finish; terminate

• After analyzing all the data, we can conclude that there is a significant correlation between the two variables.
• So, to conclude, it seems like we should go with option B.
• To wrap things up, I guess we're going with plan C.
• In the grand scheme of things, we can conclude that everything happens for a reason.

adjective causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial

• The team had a contentious debate over the proposed budget cuts.
• The siblings got into a contentious argument over who should do the dishes.
• The group chat became contentious when discussing which movie to watch.
• The artist's latest piece was met with a contentious reception from critics.

noun A business transaction or agreement

verb To take action in order to solve a problem or difficult situation

• As a manager, I often have to deal with difficult situations in the workplace.
• I don't know how to deal with my noisy neighbors anymore.
• I can't deal with all this drama right now.
• Learning to deal with rejection is an important part of personal growth.

verb to participate or become involved in

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence, in this case indicating the action being done (engaging) and what it is being done with (in)

• It is important for employees to engage in regular professional development opportunities.
• We should engage in a team-building activity to improve our communication.
• Let's engage in some brainstorming to come up with new ideas.
• She likes to engage in deep conversations about life and philosophy.

noun a person who acts as a mediator or intermediary

• The intermediator facilitated communication between the two parties during the negotiation process.
• The intermediator helped smooth things over between the two friends after their argument.
• The intermediator was like a middleman, making sure everyone was on the same page.
• The intermediator acted as a bridge, connecting the two sides and helping them reach a resolution.

verb to talk in a lengthy, idle, or gossipy manner

• The two politicians were seen jawing about the new policy in the conference room.
• I heard them jawing about the game last night at the bar.
• Stop jawing and start doing some actual work!
• His jawing about his accomplishments never seems to end.

noun a person who engages in the practice of logrolling, which is the exchanging of favors or support for mutual gain

• The logroller demonstrated impressive skill at the lumberjack competition.
• I heard that Joe is quite the logroller when it comes to chopping wood.
• Check out that logroller showing off his skills with the axe!
• In the world of politics, being a skilled logroller can help you navigate through tricky situations.

adjective able to be discussed or altered in order to reach an agreement

• The price of the house is negotiable, so feel free to make an offer.
• I think the rent is negotiable, we can try to talk to the landlord about it.
• Don't worry, the price is totally negotiable, we can work something out.
• In relationships, some things are negotiable, while others are non-negotiable.

verb to engage in discussion or bargaining to reach an agreement

• The two parties are currently in the process of negotiating a new contract.
• I'm trying to negotiate a better price for this car.
• I'm gonna try to haggle and negotiate for a good deal.
• Sometimes you have to negotiate with yourself to find a compromise.

noun a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement

• The negotiation between the two companies lasted for several weeks before a deal was finally reached.
• We're still in negotiations with the landlord about the rent increase.
• I'm trying to negotiate a better price for this car, wish me luck!
• Life is a constant negotiation between what we want and what we can actually have.

noun A person who conducts negotiations, especially in business or politics.

• The negotiator was able to reach a mutually beneficial agreement between the two parties.
• The negotiator was a smooth talker and got the deal done in no time.
• The negotiator was a real dealmaker and knew how to get what they wanted.
• The negotiator was like a magician, waving their wand and making the impossible happen.

verb to decide on or choose something after careful consideration

preposition used to indicate the choice or decision made

• After much deliberation, we finally settled upon a suitable candidate for the position.
• Let's just settle upon a movie to watch tonight and stop arguing about it.
• We need to settle upon a plan for the weekend, so we can all have a good time.
• The dust settled upon the old bookshelf, giving it a nostalgic look.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or state of being

article a word that is used to specify a noun, such as 'the', 'a', or 'an'

• It is unethical to stack the cards in a business negotiation.
• He always tries to stack the cards in his favor during a game of poker.
• She's known for stacking the cards when playing cards with her friends.
• The politician was accused of trying to stack the cards in his favor during the election.

noun a horse or a figure of a horse behind which a hunter conceals himself

• The company used a stalking horse bid to test the market before officially putting the business up for sale.
• I heard they're using a stalking horse strategy to see how much interest there is in the property.
• They're putting out a stalking horse offer to see if anyone bites.
• The new policy was seen as a stalking horse for more drastic changes to come.

noun a movement made by lifting one foot and putting it down in a different place

verb move to one side; to move out of the way

• Please step aside to allow other passengers to board the train.
• Hey, can you step aside so I can get through?
• Move, dude, step aside!
• Sometimes we need to step aside from our own problems to see the bigger picture.

noun a combination of two nouns used to describe the act of engaging in complex and often secretive negotiations or transactions

• The business executive was known for his skill in wheeling and dealing to secure lucrative deals.
• I heard that the boss has been wheeling and dealing to get us a better office space.
• The car salesman is always wheeling and dealing to make a sale.
• In the world of politics, there is a lot of wheeling and dealing behind closed doors.

noun a word used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

article a word that is used with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun

• It is unwise to leave money on the table when negotiating a business deal.
• Don't forget to grab your change, you don't want to leave money on the table.
• Hey, make sure you take all your cash with you, don't leave money on the table.
• By not investing in the stock market, you are essentially leaving money on the table.

noun something that is not subject to negotiation or change

adjective not open to discussion or modification; firm and uncompromising

• The company's policy on workplace safety is non-negotiable.
• Sorry, but the deadline is non-negotiable.
• His decision to break up with her was non-negotiable.
• In order to succeed, dedication and hard work are non-negotiable.

noun a physical act of hitting someone with a handbag, typically done in a forceful or aggressive manner

• The politician was accused of handbagging her opponent during the debate.
• She was handbagging him with her sharp remarks.
• She was really handbagging him with her sassy comments.
• Her words were like a relentless handbagging, leaving him speechless.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or a state of being

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

• The new policy must be in accord with the regulations set by the government.
• Make sure your actions are in accord with the rules to avoid trouble.
• Let's keep things in accord with what the boss wants, okay?
• Her thoughts were not in accord with the reality of the situation.

noun A person who makes a stipulation or condition in a contract or agreement

• The adstipulator was responsible for ensuring all advertising content met legal requirements.
• The adstipulator had to double-check all the ads to make sure they were okay.
• The adstipulator was the ad police, always checking for any sneaky tactics.
• In the world of advertising, the adstipulator was the gatekeeper of truth and transparency.

adjective describing a state of being pregnant in a positive or confirming manner

• The doctor confirmed that she was indeed affirmative pregnant after conducting several tests.
• She took a home pregnancy test and it came back affirmative pregnant.
• She's definitely knocked up, no doubt about it - she's affirmative pregnant.
• The project was in its early stages, but the team's enthusiasm was like being affirmative pregnant with possibilities.