Word family noun agreement ≠ disagreement adjective agreeable ≠ disagreeable agreed verb agree ≠ disagree adverb agreeably ≠ disagreeably
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishagreementa‧gree‧ment /əˈɡriːmənt/ ●●● S2 W1 noun 1 [countable]AGREE an arrangement or promise to do something, made by two or more people, companies, organizations etcagreement that They had made an agreement that they would share the profits equally.agreement with Haydon came to an agreement with his creditors.agreement on an agreement on arms reductionunder an agreement Under the agreement, most agricultural prices will remain at the same level.2 [uncountable]AGREE when people have the same opinion as each other OPP disagreementagreement that There is general agreement that copyright is a good idea.agreement on There is widespread agreement on the need for prison reform.be in agreement A decision will not be made until everyone is in agreement. It is easier for two parties to reach agreement than for three.3 [uncountable] when someone says yes to an idea, plan, suggestion etcagreement to do something Would their discussion result in his agreement to visit his stepmother?agreement of Such arrangements cannot be altered without the agreement of the bank.4 [countable]SCLAGREE an official document that people sign to show that they have agreed to something Please read the agreement and sign it. a hire purchase agreementCOLLOCATIONSverbsmake an agreementWe made an agreement not to tell anyone.sign an agreementThe two countries have signed an agreement on military co-operation.have an agreementThey have an agreement that all workers should be union members. reach/come to an agreement (also conclude an agreement formal)It took the two sides several weeks to reach an agreement.The two sides failed to come to an agreement.break/violate an agreementThe UN accused the country's leaders of breaking international agreements.keep/honour an agreement (also stick to an agreement informal) (=do what you have agreed)It’s important to keep to your student loan agreement.go back on an agreement (also renege on an agreement formal) (=not do what you agreed to do)Republican leaders accused Democrats of trying to renege on an agreement to have a House vote.be bound by an agreement (=have to obey the conditions of an official agreement)India is bound by the agreements signed under the World Trade Organisation.negotiate an agreement (=discuss particular things in order to reach an agreement)They have been trying to negotiate an agreement with a Chinese company.hammer out an agreement informal (=decide on an agreement after a lot of discussion and disagreement)Traders are focused on Washington, where Republicans and Democrats are hammering out an agreement to balance the federal budget. draft an agreement (=write the conditions of an agreement, which may be changed)The legal team will draft a second agreement incorporating these changes.broker an agreement (=arrange an agreement between two or more opposing groups)The US has been trying to broker an agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians. enter into an agreement formal (=make an official agreement, which has legal responsibilities)In 2006 the city authorities entered into an agreement with a private firm to operate the gardens.finalize an agreement (=agree the last part)The developer hopes to finalise an agreement this week with the local authority.an agreement breaks down (=it stops working)ADJECTIVES/NOUN + agreementa written agreementThere is usually a written agreement between the borrower and the bank.a verbal agreement (=agreed in words, but not written down)The doctor needs to have a verbal agreement from the patient.a trade agreementThe administration has signed a multi-billion dollar trade agreement with Colombia.a legal agreementThe golf club is also offering to enter into a legal agreement with local residents.a binding agreement (=an official agreement that must be obeyed)Lawyers are in the process of drafting a legally binding agreement between both parties.a formal/informal agreementa peace agreement (=a permanent agreement to stop fighting)The five countries in the region signed a peace agreement.a ceasefire agreement (=a temporary agreement to stop fighting)A ceasefire agreement was signed between the government and the rebels.an international agreementan international agreement on combating climate changea multilateral agreement formal (=involving several countries or groups)a multilateral nuclear arms agreementa bilateral agreement formal (=between two countries or groups)a bilateral agreement between the UK and Korean governmentsa draft agreement (=one that is not yet in its finished form)The government of Iraq refused to accept the wording of the draft UN agreement.a gentleman’s agreement (=an agreement that is not written down, and is based only on trust)The candidates seemed to have a gentleman’s agreement not to criticize each other.phrasesthe terms of an agreement (=the conditions that people agree on)Under the terms of the agreement, the debt would be repaid over a 20-year period.a breach of an agreement (=an act of breaking an agreement)Both sides were accusing each other of breaches of the agreement.be close to an agreement (=have almost reached an agreement)Management and unions are close to an agreement about pay. Examples from the Corpus
agreement• The 1834 agreement resolved a Supreme Court suit brought by New Jersey in 1829.• I thought we had an agreement that you would keep me informed about any changes in the programme.• Congress could not come up with an agreement on a spending plan for next year.• The meeting concluded without formal agreement.• There is general agreement among doctors that pregnant women should not smoke.• Under the Geneva agreement, a French force was supposed to remain in South Vietnam until July 1956.• Tara nodded her head in agreement.• These aspects, if articulated at all, must therefore be governed by informal agreements.• The institute has approached Fukuvi Chemicals to negotiate a marketing agreement to manufacture the product commercially.• The dividing line between the two forms of agreement is often fine.• They made a secret agreement not to tell anyone about their plans.• Though the contract has not been signed, it has been drawn up and the agreement is solid.• Eventually all the parties signed the agreement.• Officials said there was widespread agreement on the need to promote growth by cutting government spending.under an agreement• A convoy of 1,000 women and children will leave Sarajevo today for Belgrade under an agreement between warring forces.• The Foreign Compensation Commission was empowered by statute to deal with claims to compensation under agreements with foreign governments.• Page views are likely to jump further under agreements that Yahoo announced Wednesday.• The tenant holds under an agreement for a lease.• Due to arrive next month, the train is being sent under an agreement between Adtranz and the semi-autonomous Guangshen Railway Corp.reach agreement• Barneys said the two parties could not reach agreement on financing, royalties and trade name issues.• There were three rows with his father, behind closed doors, then they reached agreement.• A Union-Republican Customs Committee was to have been established by July 1 to reach agreement with the republics on the new tariffs.• Kolelas and Lissouba were reported to have failed to reach agreement on forming a new government at a meeting on Nov. 15.• The failure to reach agreement demonstrates the deep political passions aroused by discussions of Social Security.• A desperate effort was made to reach agreement.• Rarely, it seems, is a park committee and farmer unable to reach agreement.agreement to do something• Congressional Republicans have made an increase in the debt ceiling contingent on a balanced budget agreement to their liking.• On the basis of this Tack signed a conditional agreement to buy the bacon curing business.• The meeting had ended in agreement to establish a permanent liaison committee.• The institute has approached Fukuvi Chemicals to negotiate a marketing agreement to manufacture the product commercially.• It is providing a guaranteed access to its members, and a simple multilateral agreement to do commercial inter-networking.• Both sides claimed the other had broken a 1993 unwritten agreement to avoid targeting civilians.• I look forward to hearing from you with your agreement to the above after you have discussed the matter with your colleagues.From Longman Business Dictionaryagreementa‧gree‧ment /əˈgriːmənt/ noun [countable]1an arrangement or promise to do something, made by two or more people or organizationsUnder the agreement, the company will distribute our products in North America.What happens if the warring parties fail to reach an agreement?agreement onan agreement on arms reduction → see also breach of agreement, heads of agreement, memorandum of agreement – A contract is a written legal document with all the details of a job or business arrangement, for example what someone must do and how much they will be paid My contract stipulates (=officially says) that I have to work 35 hours a week. A deal is a formal business agreement that usually involves the sale of somethingThey made a deal to sell the land to a property developer. A compromise is an agreement that is achieved after everyone involved accepts less than what they originally wanted After several hours of discussions, the management and unions managed to reach a compromise. A pact is a formal written agreement between two or more countries or organizations U.S. law makers have approved a controversial free-trade pact with Central American nations. A verbal agreement is one in which someone says that they agree to something or says they will do something, but does not sign an official written promise If it’s only a verbal agreement, he might refuse to honour it, or even deny all knowledge of it. An unwritten agreement is one that everyone knows about although it is not official There is an unwritten agreement between the two companies not to poach staff from each other.2an official document that people sign to show that they have agreed to somethingPlease read the agreement and sign it. → see also heads of agreement 