as in to negotiate
to talk over or dispute the terms of a purchase
I horse-traded with the painter: I did his tax returns, and he did my kitchen
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as in negotiation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of horse-trade
Leo Schwartz, Fortune Crypto, 4 Oct. 2023
Congress, by contrast, can hold wide-ranging hearings, issue subpoenas, survey and even commission empirical research, weigh fiscal trade-offs, consider constituent popularity, balance different values and interests, horse trade, negotiate, and forge compromises.
—Ian MacDougall, Harper’s Magazine , 28 Sep. 2022
Justices horse trade and revise for months on major cases, though they’re not known for flipping sides.
—Dallas News, 3 May 2022
The blandishments McCarthy might have offered to horse trade his way to the speakership — fancy titles, perks, a fundraising appearance — meant little to those Republican holdouts who would like nothing more than to burn Washington to the ground.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2023
Krikorian, from the restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies, argued DACA recipients could have gotten green cards by now, if Democrats had been willing to horse trade for tougher enforcement.
—Dallas News, 18 July 2022
In the early 1960s, the bistate agency took over what was then the struggling Hudson and Manhattan Railroad as part of a horse trade between New Jersey and New York that committed the Port to build the first World Trade Center.
—Paul Berger, WSJ, 30 Nov. 2018
And Paul George finally escaped Indiana, albeit to a dark-horse trade partner in the Oklahoma City Thunder.
—Peter Dawson and Pdawson@star-Telegram.com, star-telegram, 13 Dec. 2017
Noun
The rising profile of McHenry and Emmer is likely bullish for crypto bills, as both work to convince Democrats on their committee—and their counterparts over in the Senate—to horse trade over stablecoin and market structure legislation.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune Crypto, 4 Oct. 2023
Congress, by contrast, can hold wide-ranging hearings, issue subpoenas, survey and even commission empirical research, weigh fiscal trade-offs, consider constituent popularity, balance different values and interests, horse trade, negotiate, and forge compromises.
—Ian MacDougall, Harper’s Magazine , 28 Sep. 2022
Justices horse trade and revise for months on major cases, though they’re not known for flipping sides.
—Dallas News, 3 May 2022
The blandishments McCarthy might have offered to horse trade his way to the speakership — fancy titles, perks, a fundraising appearance — meant little to those Republican holdouts who would like nothing more than to burn Washington to the ground.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2023
Krikorian, from the restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies, argued DACA recipients could have gotten green cards by now, if Democrats had been willing to horse trade for tougher enforcement.
—Dallas News, 18 July 2022
In the early 1960s, the bistate agency took over what was then the struggling Hudson and Manhattan Railroad as part of a horse trade between New Jersey and New York that committed the Port to build the first World Trade Center.
—Paul Berger, WSJ, 30 Nov. 2018
And Paul George finally escaped Indiana, albeit to a dark-horse trade partner in the Oklahoma City Thunder.
—Peter Dawson and Pdawson@star-Telegram.com, star-telegram, 13 Dec. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horse-trade
Verb
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His special envoy to Ukraine set a goal of negotiating an agreement even quicker during the first 100 days of Trump's term.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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Still, there’s a fine line between negotiating smartly and offending a seller.—
Halee Miller Van Ryswyk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There's also great uncertainty as Trump seeks negotiations with China and begins talks with other counties whose larger tariffs were delayed by 90 days.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
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The Treasury secretary has led negotiations with Japan and other nations to try and broker trade agreements.—
Brett Samuels,
The Hill,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The conquest of Taiwan would also deal a huge blow to Chinese soft power.—
RANA MITTER,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
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The resolution expressed the sentiment of the Senate and did not have the force of law, but the 51-48 passage dealt an embarrassing blow to the president.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In 2018, Francis’ papacy saw another historic development: a joint accord between China and the Vatican agreed to a compromise on the appointment of bishops, a sign of willingness to share Catholic authority.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
25 Apr. 2025
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The laws of war are premised on the possibility of a compromise.—
Colin Jones,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The association contends these actions violate state rules requiring public employers to bargain over such matters, infringing on deputies’ rights and the union’s ability to represent them.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
18 Apr. 2025
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The proposals were aimed at protecting government employees’ ability to collectively bargain amid attacks by the Trump administration, preventing cuts to food stamps and to show support for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Ukraine, respectively.—
Al Weaver,
The Hill,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The company reached a financial settlement with the men and apologized.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
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The festival reached a settlement with 277 ticket holders in 2021, when it was ordered to pay each recipient an award of $7,220.—
Audrey Conklin,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Dragonfly, if successful, could revolutionize our understanding of how life might arise elsewhere in the solar system.—
Andrew Jones,
Space.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Rather, given Cascadian ecology—the primary focus of Carr’s images—understandings of her imaginative creations might also be constructed irrespective of nation: an artist seen primarily in relation to her place, itself her subject.—
Emily Zarevich,
JSTOR Daily,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The report adds to concerns that Putin will refuse to make concessions and stick to maximalist objectives, which also include prohibiting Kyiv from joining NATO.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
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Beijing thinks that a meeting between Xi and Trump would be unlikely to guarantee substantive results, and sees it as a concession to Washington with little upside and considerable risk.—
Zongyuan Zoe Liu,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Horse-trade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horse-trade. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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