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Business English vocabulary · Negotiations

Sticking point

Meaning in business english, with examples

nounCommon term

In business english, sticking point means: An unresolved issue that prevents progress towards agreement.

In Turkish: anlaşmayı zorlaştıran nokta, çözülemeyen mesele

How it is used

Used when most of an agreement may be acceptable but one issue remains unresolved. It need not be a final reason to abandon the deal.

Example sentences

  1. The only sticking point is who will pay for repairs during the first year.

    The parties have narrowed their disagreement to one allocation of responsibility.

  2. Delivery timing became a sticking point after the customer rejected our proposed schedule.

    The schedule now blocks progress, but the sentence leaves open the possibility of revising it.

Common collocations

  • a major sticking point
  • resolve a sticking point
  • deal-breakerA single issue or condition so important that, if it is not accepted, one side will refuse the whole deal.
  • termsThe conditions of an agreement or contract that both sides accept, such as the price, payment dates, delivery and responsibilities.

More terms: Negotiations

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