palter

verb

ˈpȯl-tər How to pronounce palter (audio)
Definition of palternext
as in to deal
to talk over or dispute the terms of a purchase unwilling to palter over the price of the car

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb palter differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of palter are equivocate, fib, lie, and prevaricate. While all these words mean "to tell an untruth," palter implies making unreliable statements of fact or intention or insincere promises.

a swindler paltering with his investors

When is equivocate a more appropriate choice than palter?

While the synonyms equivocate and palter are close in meaning, equivocate implies using words having more than one sense so as to seem to say one thing but intend another.

equivocated endlessly in an attempt to mislead her inquisitors

When is it sensible to use fib instead of palter?

The words fib and palter are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fib applies to a telling of a trivial untruth.

fibbed about the price of the new suit

When can lie be used instead of palter?

Although the words lie and palter have much in common, lie is the blunt term, imputing dishonesty.

lied about where he had been

How do prevaricate and lie relate to one another, in the sense of palter?

Prevaricate softens the bluntness of lie by implying quibbling or confusing the issue.

during the hearings the witness did his best to prevaricate

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 palter Another subtype is paltering, where the models use a selective true statement to mislead the human. — IEEE Spectrum, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palter
  1. deal
  2. negotiate
  3. bargain
  4. haggle
Verb
  • To two young stars whose endorsement deals dwarf their league salaries, $400 is probably couch-cushion change.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026
  • They are built to win in October but might not get there if Dombrowski doesn’t deal for a back-end starter (or two), another reliever and a right-handed hitting outfielder.
    — Jim Bowden, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of deal
Verb
  • Providers responded by listing one rate for a paying customer and a separate, higher rate to negotiate down with an insurer.
    — Chris Ryan, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • These companies are having difficulties negotiating crew transportation services as a result.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 29 July 2026
Definition of negotiate
Verb
  • Opponents argue the law has hurt schools and government agencies by stripping employees of the right to collectively bargain over pay and working conditions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
  • The league, through an eligibility rule bargained with the NBPA, closed the door to high schoolers starting with the 2006 NBA Draft.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of bargain
Verb
  • The 1967 drama is about estranged brothers who are forced to deal with each other while haggling over the sale of their recently deceased father’s furniture to a dealer.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026
  • If someone is traveling with a group of friends or relatives, an all-inclusive stay eliminates the need to haggle over payment.
    — Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of haggle

Browse Nearby Words

palsy-walsy
palter
paltered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Palter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palter. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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