Negotiation

How it is used

Often plural: 'negotiations are under way'. Negotiations open, stall, break down, resume and conclude. The verb is 'negotiate', and the parties sit at 'the negotiating table'. Negotiators count 'rounds' of negotiation.

Example sentences

1. After three rounds of negotiation, the delegations agreed on most of the text.

2. Negotiations broke down over the question of border controls.

3. Both sides said they were ready to resume negotiations in the spring.

Common collocations

• enter into negotiations
• round of negotiations
• negotiations broke down
• resume negotiations
• under negotiation

Related terms

• talksFormal discussions between governments or groups, usually to solve a problem or reach an agreement; in this meaning the word is always plural.
• delegationA group of people chosen to represent a country or organisation at a meeting, conference or negotiation, usually led by a head of delegation.
• compromiseAn agreement in which each side gives up part of what it wanted so that both can accept the result; the same word is a verb meaning to reach such an agreement.
• concessionSomething that one side in a negotiation agrees to give up or accept in order to move closer to an agreement with the other side.
• mediationAn effort by a neutral third party, such as a state, organisation or individual, to help the sides in a dispute reach an agreement without imposing a solution.

More terms: Negotiation & Summit Language

• summit
• agenda
• consensus
• communiqué
• joint statement
• deadlock
• breakthrough
• red line
• common ground