drive a hard bargain

phrase

: to be very determined to get what one wants when discussing something and especially a business deal
You drive a hard bargain, but I'll accept your terms.

Examples of drive a hard bargain in a Sentence

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Economic pressures facing hospitals and insurers motivate both to drive a hard bargain. Annika Merrilees, Sacbee.com, 27 June 2025 With their reelections potentially riding on how the bill impacts their constituents, Collins and Tillis are likely to drive a hard bargain, whether on Medicaid reforms or green energy incentives. Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 28 May 2025 Setting non-negotiable hiring salaries eliminates the advantage of candidates who don’t hesitate to drive a hard bargain. Hec Paris Insights, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025 But Beijing is trying to drive a hard bargain over the cost of the fuel, and a deal over its construction has yet to be reached. Brendan Cole, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025 With Republicans sitting on a three-seat cushion (which will be zero for several months), Jeffries can drive a hard bargain on everything from funding the government to raising the debt ceiling. Hans Nichols, Axios, 5 Dec. 2024

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“Drive a hard bargain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drive%20a%20hard%20bargain. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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