Negotiated

Negotiated is the past tense of negotiate, and it can also function as an adjective meaning arranged through negotiation. As a verb, to negotiate means to bargain or discuss terms with one or more parties in order to reach an agreement. As an adjective, a negotiated outcome or agreement has been achieved through structured discourse and mutual concessions rather than unilateral action.

Common uses include business deals, contracts, and treaties. A negotiated price is a price that has been agreed through discussion rather than fixed by a seller. A negotiated settlement resolves a dispute through compromise. In diplomacy and international law, treaty negotiations are a series of talks that produce a binding agreement; sometimes negotiations continue after signing to implement terms.

Negotiation processes vary but often involve identifying interests, proposing terms, making concessions, and reaching a compromise. They may be distributive (zero-sum) or integrative (win-win), and can involve formal negotiation teams, mediators, or arbitrators. Outcomes can be binding if codified in a contract or agreement, or non-binding statements of intent.

The term is used across industries—from labor relations to real estate to corporate mergers. A negotiated contract often reflects negotiated terms such as price, delivery schedules, warranties, and dispute-resolution mechanisms.

See also: negotiation, negotiator, mediator, arbitration, settlement.

Word origin: negotiable comes from Latin negotium meaning business, with the verb negotiate deriving from the same root.