1
as in discussion
an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue
a give-and-take about what we should do Saturday night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in negotiation
the act or practice of each side giving up something in order to reach an agreement
negotiating the terms of the deal will require some give-and-take on both sides
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in banter
good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks
enjoyed the flirty give-and-take between the two romantic lead characters
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 give-and-take
May is all about redefining yourself, but learning to manage a healthy give-and-take in your relationships is key.
—
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 9 May 2025
Read: Cory Booker, endurance athlete Here is another tactic that makes sense for political give-and-take within a democracy, but not as a means of fighting for democracy’s life: picking your battles.
—Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
The United States cannot guarantee success in sensitive international negotiations in advance, least of all when a court imposes an absurdly compressed, mandatory deadline that vastly complicates the give-and-take of foreign-relations negotiations.
—Laura Romero, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2025
Far from rejecting transactional diplomacy, regional leaders crave genuine give-and-take relationships in which their priorities receive consideration.
—Matias Spektor, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for give-and-take
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 9 May 2025
Read: Cory Booker, endurance athlete Here is another tactic that makes sense for political give-and-take within a democracy, but not as a means of fighting for democracy’s life: picking your battles.
—Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
The United States cannot guarantee success in sensitive international negotiations in advance, least of all when a court imposes an absurdly compressed, mandatory deadline that vastly complicates the give-and-take of foreign-relations negotiations.
—Laura Romero, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2025
Far from rejecting transactional diplomacy, regional leaders crave genuine give-and-take relationships in which their priorities receive consideration.
—Matias Spektor, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for give-and-take
Recent Examples of Synonyms for give-and-take
Noun
-
Share your good news, send accountability tips and keep the discussion going on The Arizona Republic's education Facebook page.—
Alexandra Hardle,
AZCentral.com,
30 July 2025
-
There was some, but not a great deal, of debate on the new role for committee vice chairmanships when the rules were brought up for discussion.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
How much can the fans’ opinion sway CBA negotiations behind closed doors?—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
25 July 2025
-
The news that Columbia University will pay more than $200 million to the federal government comes after several investigations and months of negotiations with the Trump administration.—
Elissa Nadworny,
NPR,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
Not everyone will love the generous, relaxed amount of hangout time director Shakman’s film spends setting up and illustrating family dynamics and medium-grade banter.—
Michael Phillips,
Chicago Tribune,
23 July 2025
-
As the two duos unknowingly orbit the same dangerous secret, Hitchcock unfolds a tight, twisty game of cat-and-mouse full of charming banter and cleverly constructed tension.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
Noun
-
Keegan Bradley: This is not the big captaincy debate.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 July 2025
-
The move adds pressure to an already volatile debate over transparency and accountability in the Epstein case.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
Those who insist that Israel should not exist, and that Jews around the world should be punished for the actions of the Israeli government, move far beyond the realm of compromise, conciliation, and political discourse and, in effect, become pro-violence.—
Brian Strauss,
Time,
30 July 2025
-
He’s tried offering a range of compromises, including symbolic distance from his family.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
Each bus has a pair of hosts, whose badinage is corny but crowd-pleasing.—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
-
In The Kitchen, Wesker tracked the decorum from friendly badinage to hostile vernacular that co-workers sustain just to get through the day.—
Armond White,
National Review,
30 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Microsoft’s Dragon Copilot can create real-time notes during clinical consultations.—
Ashish Sukhadeve,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
-
The Biden administration rescinded the environmental impact statement in March 2021 for further consultation with tribes.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
Chinese officials in the eastern province of Zhejiang have put stand-up comics on notice to avoid jokes that could fuel resentment between the sexes.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
-
Buddusky tries to fill the room with noise, jokes, bluster.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Give-and-take.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/give-and-take. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share