negotiable

adjective

ne·​go·​tia·​ble ni-ˈgō-sh(ē-)ə-bəl How to pronounce negotiable (audio)
: capable of being negotiated: such as
a
: transferable from one person to another by being delivered with or without endorsement (see endorse sense 1d) so that the title passes to the transferee (see transferee sense 1)
negotiable securities
b
: capable of being traversed, dealt with, or accomplished
a difficult but negotiable road
some kind of agreement was negotiable
c
: open to discussion or dispute
The terms of the contract are negotiable.
The price was not negotiable.

Examples of negotiable in a Sentence

The terms of the contract are negotiable. The price was not negotiable. a rough but negotiable road
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The bill caps the fund at $800 million, but Fonfara said the figure is negotiable. Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2025 Stocks take dive amid Trump tariffs, worries of trade war Are tariffs negotiable? Medora Lee, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025 Are the tariffs actually negotiable? Sara Coughlin, SELF, 10 Apr. 2025 This wild intraday swing reveals that Investor concerns might be overdone if tariffs prove temporary or negotiable and if energy demand holds up domestically. Michael Khouw, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for negotiable

Word History

Etymology

negoti(ate) + -able, perhaps after French négociable

First Known Use

1758, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of negotiable was in 1758

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Negotiable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/negotiable. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

negotiable

adjective
ne·​go·​tia·​ble ni-ˈgō-sh(ē-)ə-bəl How to pronounce negotiable (audio)
: capable of being negotiated: as
a
: capable of being passed from one person to another without being signed in return for something of equal value
negotiable bonds
b
: capable of being traveled over, dealt with, or accomplished
negotiable roads
some kind of agreement was negotiable
c
: open to discussion or change
negotiable prices
negotiability noun

Legal Definition

negotiable

adjective
ne·​go·​tia·​ble ni-ˈgō-shə-bəl How to pronounce negotiable (audio)
: capable of being negotiated
especially : transferable from one party to another by delivery with or without endorsement so that title passes to the transferee
negotiable securities
a negotiable certificate of deposit
see also negotiable instrument
negotiability noun

More from Merriam-Webster on negotiable

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