as in exchange
a giving or taking of one thing of value in return for another
in politics nobody does something for nothing: there's always a quid pro quo involved
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Recent Examples of quid pro quo
In the end, though, the evidence pointed more to a breakdown in procedures for vetting donations than to a quid pro quo.
—
Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
The Second Circuit also rejected some of the other arguments made, such as the quid pro quo principle applies only in the exchange is for goods and services.
—Timothy M. Todd, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Hong Kong — Nvidia and AMD have agreed to pay the US government 15% of their revenues from semiconductor sales to China in exchange for export licenses, an unprecedented quid pro quo arrangement aimed at solidifying America’s AI business dominance while maintaining trade ties with China.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
The merger has since been approved, a move some critics characterized as a quid pro quo.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quid pro quo
Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
The Second Circuit also rejected some of the other arguments made, such as the quid pro quo principle applies only in the exchange is for goods and services.
—Timothy M. Todd, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Hong Kong — Nvidia and AMD have agreed to pay the US government 15% of their revenues from semiconductor sales to China in exchange for export licenses, an unprecedented quid pro quo arrangement aimed at solidifying America’s AI business dominance while maintaining trade ties with China.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
The merger has since been approved, a move some critics characterized as a quid pro quo.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quid pro quo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quid pro quo
exchange
Noun
-
Residents of the apartment complex described 40 to 60 gunshots during the exchange of gunfire.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Sep. 2025
-
China’s growing interest in winter sports has opened new space its sports and tourism exchanges with countries where skiing is popular.—
Russell Flannery,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quid pro quo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quid%20pro%20quo. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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