deal 1 of 3

noun (1)

Definition of dealnext
as in ton
a considerable amount there is a great deal of waste in government

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deal

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
as in agreement
an arrangement about action to be taken we made a deal to cooperate on the next assignment

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2
as in sale
the transfer of ownership of something from one person to another for a price we closed the deal for the house last week

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3
as in contract
a formal agreement to fulfill an obligation if the other party backs out of the deal after it's signed, you can sue

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4
as in situation
position with regard to conditions and circumstances we don't yet know what the deal is with the new manager

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5
as in bargain
something bought or offered for sale at a desirable price that mail-order sweater isn't such a great deal after you factor in the cost of shipping and handling

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deal

3 of 3

verb

ˈdēl How to pronounce deal (audio)
1
as in to trade
to carry on the business of buying and selling goods or other property that store deals in used furniture

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to negotiate
to talk over or dispute the terms of a purchase you're going to have to learn how to deal if you want to buy a car at a fair price

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deal differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deal are dispense, distribute, divide, and dole out. While all these words mean "to give out, usually in shares, to each member of a group," deal emphasizes the allotment of something piece by piece.

deal out equipment and supplies

When could dispense be used to replace deal?

In some situations, the words dispense and deal are roughly equivalent. However, dispense suggests the giving of a carefully weighed or measured portion to each of a group according to due or need.

dispensed wisdom to the students

When is distribute a more appropriate choice than deal?

Although the words distribute and deal have much in common, distribute implies an apportioning by separation of something into parts, units, or amounts.

distributed food to the needy

When can divide be used instead of deal?

The words divide and deal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts and implies that the parts are equal.

three charitable groups divided the proceeds

When is it sensible to use dole out instead of deal?

The synonyms dole out and deal are sometimes interchangeable, but dole out implies a carefully measured portion of something that is often in short supply.

doled out what little food there was

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of deal
Noun
Look for Alphabet to deploy the Buy and Link defensive strategies — vacuuming up promising AI advertising startups and offering discounting and packaging deals to extant search customers that want to experiment with the Google AI advertising platform. —Forrester, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025 This could be a $6 million per season deal that doesn't pan out to being an impact addition. —Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
Verb
Update: This article was updated on July 11, 2025 to note that Ferrero and its affiliates have acquired at least 21 companies in 9 countries since 2015, with eight deals in the U.S. since 2017 before the WK Kellogg deal. —Giacomo Tognini, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025 The Bulls have already tried to deal Vučević to the Warriors once in a trade deadline deal that was smothered, in part, by the Jimmy Butler move with the Miami Heat. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for deal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deal
  1. trade
  2. negotiate
  3. sell
  4. bargain
Verb
  • Strategy utilizes capital generated from issuing new shares – particularly when its stock is traded at a premium to the underlying Bitcoin – to acquire more Bitcoin in relation to the dilution that additional shares would create.
    — Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • The Dallas Mavericks were lucky enough to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after trading Luka Doncic ahead of the deadline last year.
    — Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Definition of trade
Verb
  • The proposal by the Commission was negotiated behind closed doors and largely held secret until the final draft was approved.
    — Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • This month, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro negotiated a prisoner swap with the United States, releasing 10 American citizens in his custody and dozens of Venezuelan political prisoners.
    — Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 24 July 2025
Definition of negotiate
Verb
  • Gannett sold its north Phoenix printing facility for $38 million in August 2023, according to Maricopa County records.
    — Russ Wiles, AZCentral.com, 23 July 2025
  • Topline Hershey will soon raise its candy prices, according to multiple outlets, citing a jump in cocoa costs that have provoked the chocolate company to rethink its list prices and the quantities or weight of candy sold in each container.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Definition of sell
Verb
  • Combined with inflation boosting home repair prices, the costs of homeownership are more than many people bargained for.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 17 July 2025
  • And managing them came with more responsibilities than Niven bargained for.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 7 July 2025
Definition of bargain

Phrases Containing deal

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deaf to reason
deal
dealer
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Cite this Entry

“Deal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deal. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deal

Nglish: Translation of deal for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about deal

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