Negotiation Terminology

verb to have the same opinion or belief as someone else; to be in harmony or accord

• After much deliberation, the committee was able to agree on a final decision.
• I agree with you, that movie was really good!
• Yo, I totally agree with what you're saying.
• Sometimes it's hard to agree on the best course of action when emotions are running high.

verb to have the same opinion or belief as someone else

• After much deliberation, they finally reached a consensus, agreeing on the terms of the contract.
• We were all on the same page, agreeing that the movie was a must-watch.
• We were totally vibing and agreeing on all the best places to eat in town.
• Their hearts were in sync, agreeing without uttering a single word.

noun a thing that is bought or offered for sale at a price that is lower than the actual value

preposition used to indicate that something is included as part of an agreement or arrangement

• When purchasing a car, you must be aware of all the costs involved and not just the initial price that you bargain for.
• I didn't realize there would be so many extra fees to bargain for when buying this phone.
• I thought I was getting a great deal on this jacket, but there were some hidden defects that I didn't bargain for.
• She never expected to fall in love with him, it was a twist she hadn't bargained for.

verb to obtain or acquire something, especially something that is difficult to find or rare

• It is not easy to come by such high-quality products in this market.
• I heard that you can come by some great deals at the farmer's market.
• If you're ever in the area, come by my place and hang out.
• Opportunities like this don't just come by every day, so make sure to seize it when it does.

noun a person who enjoys or is skilled at engaging in conversation

• She was known as a skilled conversationalist, always able to engage in deep discussions on a variety of topics.
• John is a great conversationalist at parties, always keeping the conversation flowing smoothly.
• Samantha is such a chatterbox, a real conversationalist who never runs out of things to say.
• His words were like a symphony, flowing effortlessly from his lips as if he were a master conversationalist.

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

• It is unethical for a business to hold out on providing accurate financial information to investors.
• Don't hold out on me, tell me what happened last night!
• I heard you were holding out on the good gossip, spill the tea!
• Sometimes we need to hold out on immediate gratification in order to achieve long-term goals.

noun a period of time during which something is sustained or maintained

verb to continue to resist or endure something

• The negotiators decided to hold out for a better deal.
• I'm going to hold out for a higher salary at my next job.
• I'll hold out on buying a new phone until the price drops.
• She held out hope that her missing dog would return home.

noun a situation in which no progress is possible, especially because of disagreement; a deadlock

• The negotiations have reached an impasse, with neither party willing to compromise.
• We're at an impasse in our discussion, we can't seem to agree on anything.
• We're stuck in an impasse and can't move forward until someone gives in.
• Their relationship had hit an impasse, with communication completely breaking down.

noun persistent request or demand

adjective importunate

• The importunity of the salesman became overwhelming as he continued to push for a sale.
• I can't stand the importunity of my neighbor always asking for favors.
• The importunity of that guy is really getting on my nerves.
• The importunity of the storm was relentless, pounding the coast with unyielding force.

adjective describing someone or something that is persistent and determined in demanding or insisting on something

• The insistent knocking on the door made me wonder who could be so persistent.
• She was insistent on getting her way no matter what.
• My mom is so insistent about me cleaning my room, it's annoying.
• The insistent rain tapped on the window, creating a soothing rhythm.

noun a person who is intransigent

adjective unwilling or refusing to change one's views or to agree about something

• The intransigent negotiator refused to compromise on any of the terms.
• She's so intransigent, she never listens to anyone else's opinion.
• He's an intransigent jerk who always thinks he's right.
• The mountain stood intransigent against the changing weather.

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, in this case, the act of refusing to move or change position

• Despite numerous attempts to persuade the council, they would not budge on their decision.
• I tried to convince him to change his mind, but he would not budge.
• No matter how much I begged, she just would not budge.
• The old tree stood firm and would not budge in the strong wind.

noun a word that functions as the name of a specific person, place, thing, or idea

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

• The proposal to increase the budget is out of the question due to financial constraints.
• Going on a vacation next month is out of the question for me.
• Asking her out is out of the question, she's not interested.
• Trying to convince him to change his mind is out of the question, he's very stubborn.

noun a conference between opposing sides in a dispute, especially a discussion of terms for an armistice.

verb to hold a conference or discussion, especially with an enemy

adjective not applicable

adverb not applicable

pronoun not applicable

preposition not applicable

conjunction not applicable

interjection not applicable

article not applicable

• The two diplomats met to parley and negotiate a peace agreement.
• Let's parley with the boss to see if we can get a raise.
• I heard they're going to parley about the new project during lunch.
• Sometimes it's necessary to parley with your inner demons to find peace.

adjective describing someone who is eloquent or persuasive in speech

• The silver tongued speaker was able to persuade the audience with ease.
• He's known as the silver tongued charmer around here.
• Watch out for that silver tongued devil, he'll talk you into anything.
• Her silver tongued words cut through the tension in the room.

noun a mutually beneficial agreement or deal

verb to agree on a deal or arrangement, usually involving a compromise

• The two parties were able to strike a bargain after lengthy negotiations.
• Let's see if we can strike a bargain on the price of this car.
• I'm hoping to strike a bargain with the seller for that vintage jacket.
• Sometimes in life, you have to strike a bargain with yourself to achieve your goals.

verb To add something extra as a bonus or additional item

preposition To include something as part of a deal or arrangement

• The speaker decided to throw in a few examples to clarify the complex concept.
• I told him to just throw in some extra cheese on the pizza.
• She always likes to throw in some gossip during our conversations.
• When life gets tough, don't forget to throw in a little bit of humor to lighten the mood.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. In this case, 'tricky' describes something that is difficult to deal with or understand.

• The math problem was quite tricky to solve due to its complexity.
• I find this level of the game to be really tricky.
• This puzzle is so tricky, I can't figure it out!
• Navigating through the city's busy streets can be quite tricky during rush hour.

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 specifies a noun, such as 'the' or 'a'

• The failure to meet the deadline could blow the deal with our biggest client.
• If you don't get those documents in on time, you're going to blow the deal.
• Don't mess this up, or you'll totally blow the deal.
• His lack of attention to detail could blow the deal out of the water.

noun a term used in negotiation to refer to the Zone of Possible Agreement, which is the range in which a deal is possible

• The negotiation entered a ZOPA when both parties realized there was room for agreement.
• I knew we were in the ZOPA when we started discussing numbers that worked for both of us.
• We finally hit the ZOPA and were able to settle on a price that made everyone happy.
• Finding a ZOPA in our relationship meant compromising and finding common ground.

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

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

article a word that is used to specify a noun as definite or indefinite

• After careful consideration, we have decided to take that option off the table.
• Let's just take that idea off the table for now and focus on something else.
• That plan is totally off the table, let's think of something new.
• Her proposal to go on a vacation together is completely off the table now.