What does brokering mean?
Brokering is the act of serving as an intermediary between two or more parties in order to bring about a transaction, agreement, or negotiation, usually in exchange for a fee or commission. The term is most at home in commerce and finance — insurance brokering, freight brokering, and securities brokering are established industries — but it extends readily into politics and diplomacy, where journalists speak of the brokering of ceasefires, coalitions, and trade deals. A person engaged in brokering is called a broker, and the practice implies specialized knowledge, connections, and negotiating skill rather than ownership of the goods or outcomes involved. Because the broker profits from facilitating exchanges between others, the word can carry a faintly mercenary connotation in some contexts, though it is generally neutral. Its figurative use has made it a staple of headline writing wherever compromise and deal-making are the story.
The action or profession of acting as an intermediary in transactions or negotiations between parties, typically for a commission.
"Insurance brokering requires deep knowledge of the policies available across dozens of underwriters."
Often used with an of-phrase when referring to a specific deal, e.g. 'the brokering of the ceasefire.'
The present participle of the verb 'to broker': to arrange or negotiate a deal, agreement, or settlement as an intermediary.
"She spent the summit brokering an agreement between the rival factions."
Every massive deal you've heard of — arms treaties, celebrity mergers, even peace accords — likely had someone quietly 'brokering' it behind closed doors.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of brokering
Brokering derives from "broker," which entered English in the late Middle Ages (14th–15th century) from Anglo-Norman and Old French "brocour," a term for a small trader or wine retailer; its ultimate origin is uncertain, with possible connections to Old French "broche" (a tap or spigot used to draw wine) or to Spanish and Portuguese terms linked to the Arabic "al-burāq." From the occupational noun came the verb "to broker" in the 17th century, and the gerund "brokering" followed as the name of the activity itself. Related derivatives include "brokerage" (the broker's fee or business) and compounds such as "stockbroker" and "pawnbroker."
Related word forms
How brokering is actually used
"Brokering" is largely formal or professional in register, common in business, finance, and political journalism. The gerund/noun form often takes an of-phrase specifying what is arranged ("the brokering of a ceasefire"). In commercial contexts it can carry a slightly neutral-to-cynical connotation, implying a middleman profiting from others' transactions.
Easily confused with brokering
"Breaking" means shattering or interrupting something, while "brokering" means acting as an intermediary to arrange a deal or agreement.