What does negotiated mean?
Negotiated means that an agreement, arrangement, or understanding was reached through discussion, bargaining, or compromise. It is commonly used in business, law, politics, diplomacy, labor relations, and personal disputes: people negotiate a contract, a settlement, a price, or the terms of an agreement. The word often carries a sense of mutual adjustment, since negotiation generally involves each side communicating its needs and making concessions. In its adjective form, negotiated describes an outcome brought about in this way, as in a negotiated settlement or a negotiated price. Although the word can suggest a formal and sometimes lengthy process, it is also used for everyday arrangements and informal discussions. It is distinct from merely discussing a matter, because it implies an effort to reach a mutually acceptable result.
To discuss a matter with another person or group in order to reach an agreement.
"The union negotiated with management over wages and working conditions."
Often used in formal contexts involving contracts, disputes, prices, or official agreements.
Established or obtained through discussion, bargaining, or compromise.
"The two departments approved the negotiated agreement."
Common in expressions such as negotiated settlement, negotiated contract, and negotiated terms.
A negotiated agreement is not merely spoken into existence: it emerges from discussion, bargaining, and often compromise.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does negotiated come from?
The word comes from the Latin negotiari, meaning “to conduct business,” which was derived from negotium, “business” or “commerce.” English borrowed the verb negotiate in the 16th and 17th centuries, initially in the sense of conducting business or dealing with an issue. Its modern sense of reaching an agreement through discussion developed from this earlier commercial meaning. The same Latin root is reflected in cognates including negotiation, negotiator, and negotiable.
Related word forms
How negotiated is actually used
The word is formal but widely used. In its basic sense, it can describe talks aimed at agreement, while in contexts such as law, business, and diplomacy it often implies bargaining, compromise, or the settlement of competing interests. When used as an adjective, it normally refers to an agreement, contract, or arrangement reached through discussion.
Easily confused with negotiated
Negotiable describes something that can be changed through discussion, whereas negotiated describes an agreement or arrangement that has already been reached through such discussion.