Negotiation Vocabulary

adjective skillful or clever in a particular task or activity; adept

• The adroit surgeon skillfully performed the delicate operation.
• She's so adroit with her hands, she can fix anything!
• He's an adroit player on the basketball court, making all the right moves.
• Her adroit handling of the situation saved the day.

noun a policy of making concessions to an aggressor in order to avoid conflict

• The policy of appeasement was criticized for its failure to prevent the outbreak of World War II.
• Trying to avoid conflict through appeasement often just delays the inevitable.
• Appeasement is like trying to sweep problems under the rug.
• Sometimes appeasement is like feeding a monster, thinking it will be satisfied, but it only grows stronger.

noun a heavy object that is lifted or supported

verb to have significance or importance

• In academic circles, citations from reputable sources carry weight in supporting an argument.
• Your opinion will carry weight in the decision-making process since you have experience in this area.
• If you want to be taken seriously, your words need to carry weight with the team.
• Her reputation as a fair and unbiased judge really carries weight in the legal community.

verb to reach or arrive at a place or a point in time

preposition used to indicate the result or outcome of a particular action or situation

• I invite you to come to the meeting tomorrow.
• Hey, come to the party tonight!
• Yo, come to the concert with us!
• When you come to understand the situation, you'll see things differently.

verb to admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it

• The defendant's lawyer had no choice but to concede to the overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution.
• I finally had to concede defeat in our ongoing argument about politics.
• I ain't gonna concede to no one, I'll keep fighting till the end.
• Sometimes it's better to concede a point in order to maintain harmony in a relationship.

adjective intended or likely to placate or pacify

• The diplomat's conciliatory approach helped to ease tensions between the two warring nations.
• She made a conciliatory gesture by offering to buy her friend a coffee after their argument.
• He tried to be all conciliatory and stuff, but I wasn't buying it.
• The sunset painted the sky in a conciliatory palette of soft pinks and purples.

noun a state of inaction or neutralization resulting from opposition of equally powerful forces or factions

verb to bring to a standstill or stalemate

• The negotiations reached a deadlock as neither party was willing to compromise.
• We're stuck in a deadlock and can't seem to make any progress.
• The whole situation is in a deadlock and it's driving me crazy.
• Their relationship was at a deadlock, with neither of them willing to budge.

noun a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration

adjective used to describe something related to making a decision

• The board members made a unanimous decision to proceed with the merger.
• I finally made a decision on which car to buy after weeks of research.
• I'm still on the fence about my decision to quit my job and travel the world.
• Sometimes in life, you have to make a decision to close one door in order to open another.

adjective relating to diplomacy or the work of maintaining good relations between the governments of different countries

• The diplomat used diplomatic language to navigate the sensitive negotiations.
• She always knows how to handle tricky situations with a diplomatic approach.
• He's got a way of being super chill and diplomatic at the same time.
• Finding a diplomatic solution to the problem felt like walking on eggshells.

noun the latest possible moment before it is too late

adjective referring to the last moment or the latest possible time

• The decision was made at the eleventh hour, just before the deadline.
• We finished the project at the eleventh hour, but it turned out great.
• I always do my homework at the eleventh hour, it's a bad habit.
• The eleventh hour of the negotiation process was intense and crucial.

adjective describing the state of having nothing in one's hands

adverb modifying the verb 'to be' to indicate the state of having nothing in one's hands

• Despite their efforts, the team returned empty handed from the negotiation.
• We went to the store looking for the new video game, but we came back empty handed.
• I thought I would find some cool stuff at the garage sale, but I ended up leaving empty handed.
• He searched for answers in the old books, but he came back empty handed.

verb to yield or surrender to something; to stop resisting or opposing something

• She refused to give in to the demands of the protesters.
• I finally had to give in and let my sister borrow my car.
• Don't give in to peer pressure and do something you'll regret.
• Sometimes it's better to give in and compromise to maintain peace in a relationship.

noun a large amount or quantity

adjective of considerable size, extent, or intensity

• The negotiation resulted in a great deal for both parties involved.
• I got a great deal on this new phone at the store.
• I scored a great deal on those concert tickets.
• She put a great deal of effort into her school project.

adjective feeling or showing reluctance or unwillingness

adverb in a reluctant or unwilling manner

• She gave a grudging nod of approval after much deliberation.
• He offered a grudging apology for his mistake.
• I could tell by her grudging tone that she wasn't happy about it.
• The sun made a grudging appearance from behind the clouds.

verb to interpret or explain incorrectly; to fail to understand or interpret correctly

• It is important to clarify any potential misunderstandings in the contract before signing.
• I think you misunderstood what I meant by that joke.
• Don't trip, she just misunderstood your intentions.
• In the world of art, a piece that is open to interpretation may be easily misunderstood by some viewers.

adverb to a certain or significant extent or degree

• I would rather not attend the meeting tomorrow due to a prior commitment.
• I'd rather go to the beach than stay home all day.
• I'd way rather hang out with my friends than study for that test.
• She is a rather shy person, preferring to stay in the background during social events.

adjective reasonable is an adjective that describes something that is fair, sensible, or logical.

• It is important to come to a reasonable agreement in order to resolve this matter.
• Let's try to find a reasonable solution that works for everyone.
• Come on, be reasonable and just give me a break.
• His expectations were not reasonable, considering the circumstances.

adverb in a hesitant or unwilling way

• She reluctantly agreed to attend the meeting despite her busy schedule.
• He reluctantly admitted that he was wrong after much persuasion.
• I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed this morning.
• The old man reluctantly let go of his past and embraced the present.

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

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

conjunction a word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause

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

• When comparing the two options, it seems that it's six of one and half a dozen of the other.
• I don't think it matters which one you choose, it's six of one and half a dozen of the other.
• It's all the same to me, it's like six of one and half a dozen of the other.
• Trying to decide between the two is like choosing between six of one and half a dozen of the other.

verb to confront or resist someone or something in a bold or assertive manner

• It is important for citizens to stand up to corruption and hold their leaders accountable.
• I admire people who have the courage to stand up to bullies and speak out against them.
• Don't let anyone push you around, you gotta stand up to them!
• Sometimes you have to stand up to your fears in order to achieve your goals.

adjective equivalent in value, significance, or effect

• The CEO's decision was tantamount to a major company restructuring.
• Skipping class is tantamount to getting detention.
• Cheating on the test is tantamount to playing yourself.
• Her smile was tantamount to a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.

verb to discuss or debate thoroughly in order to come to a resolution or decision

• The committee will thrash out the details of the new policy during tomorrow's meeting.
• Let's get together and thrash out a plan for the weekend trip.
• We need to thrash out our differences and come to a resolution.
• The artists thrashed out a masterpiece after hours of collaboration.

noun a person, place, thing, or idea

adjective describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb modifies an adjective or another adverb, indicating degree or extent

• It is too bad that the project was not completed on time.
• Too bad you couldn't make it to the party last night.
• I heard you failed the test, that's too bad.
• It's too bad that she let her fear hold her back from pursuing her dreams.

noun a position of advantage or control

verb to gain control or advantage over someone or something

adjective higher in position, rank, or importance

• After careful analysis, it was clear that our team had the upper hand in the negotiation.
• We totally have the upper hand in this situation, don't worry.
• We're totally crushing it, we've got the upper hand for sure.
• In the game of chess, having control of the center of the board gives you the upper hand.

noun a successful result in a competition, game, or other endeavor

verb to be successful or victorious in a competition, game, or other endeavor

• The company was able to win the contract after months of negotiations.
• I finally won the game after many attempts.
• She totally won that argument with her clever comebacks.
• Sometimes it's more important to win hearts than competitions.

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

• The negotiations took place behind closed doors to ensure confidentiality.
• They always gossip behind closed doors.
• I heard they were partying hard behind closed doors.
• The truth behind closed doors was finally revealed.

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 candidate's extensive experience in project management will bring valuable skills to the table.
• I hope your friend can bring some good music to the table for the party.
• Let's see what kind of ideas these new recruits can bring to the table.
• His unique perspective really brings a fresh angle to the table during our discussions.

noun a situation in which a player is limited to moves that cost them the game or put them at a disadvantage

• In chess, zugzwang is a situation in which a player is forced to make a disadvantageous move because all other moves are even worse.
• I hate when I'm in zugzwang during a chess game; it feels like I have no good moves left.
• Being in zugzwang in chess is like being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
• Sometimes in life, we can feel like we're in zugzwang, where every decision seems to lead to a negative outcome.

verb to stipulate or specify something in addition to what has already been stated or agreed upon

• The contract adstipulates that all payments must be made within 30 days of receipt of invoice.
• I adstipulated that we meet at the coffee shop for our weekly catch-up.
• I adstipulated that we hit up the club for a night out.
• Her actions adstipulate a lack of respect for authority.