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
Crime 101 takes the same view of quid pro quo as the most basic form of American commerce and makes simple but brutal points about value and self-worth, where your car, its year, make and model, matters more than your resumé.
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Damon Wise, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
An alleged quid pro quo had been arranged between Russian and French officials, leading to the French judge’s scores being vacated.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 3 Feb. 2026
But too often relationships between religious leaders and communities are rooted in allyship and its inherent quid pro quo.
—Joshua M. Davidson, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
The prize is not a quid pro quo for a count of achievements, even real ones; it’s based on overall contributions to world peace.
—Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quid pro quo
Damon Wise, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
An alleged quid pro quo had been arranged between Russian and French officials, leading to the French judge’s scores being vacated.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 3 Feb. 2026
But too often relationships between religious leaders and communities are rooted in allyship and its inherent quid pro quo.
—Joshua M. Davidson, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
The prize is not a quid pro quo for a count of achievements, even real ones; it’s based on overall contributions to world peace.
—Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quid pro quo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quid pro quo
exchange
Noun
-
Over billions of years, continuous chemical exchanges between this molten interior and the atmosphere have shaped the unique world observed today.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
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Their presence reflects the ongoing exchange between the Chinese and Korean fashion industries, particularly among younger consumers who closely follow both markets.—
Yiling Pan,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quid pro quo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quid%20pro%20quo. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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