From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishnegotiationne‧go‧ti‧a‧tion /nɪˌɡəʊʃiˈeɪʃən $ -ˌɡoʊ-/ ●●○ W3 noun [countable usually plural, uncountable] BDISCUSSofficial discussions between the representatives of opposing groups who are trying to reach an agreement, especially in business or politicsnegotiation with The negotiations with the company had reached a crucial stage.negotiation between This follows private negotiations between the landowner and the leisure centre.negotiation on/over He is trying to involve community leaders in negotiations on reform.COLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + negotiationlong/lengthyAfter lengthy negotiations, a compromise was finally reached.prolonged/protracted (=very long)Despite protracted negotiations, the two sides have failed to reach agreement.difficultThe agreement is the result of two years of long and difficult negotiations.delicate (=in which it would be very easy to upset people and cause the negotiations to fail)The company is about to start delicate negotiations with the union about next year's pay agreement.intense (=done with a lot of effort)The agreement came after months of intense negotiations.peace/trade etc negotiationsA new round of global trade negotiations is due to start next week.verbsenter into/open negotiations (=start negotiations)They have entered into negotiations to acquire another company.conduct negotiationsThe country should conduct direct negotiations with its neighbours.break off negotiations (=stop them)The two companies have broken off negotiations on the deal.resume negotiations (=start them again)The pressure is on Israel and the Palestinians to resume peace negotiations.negotiations startPeace negotiations started last week.negotiations stall (=stop making progress)The negotiations stalled over the question of arms reductions.negotiations break down (=stop because of disagreement)The negotiations broke down over a dispute about working conditions.phrasesbe under negotiation (=be being discussed)The contract is currently under negotiation.be open to negotiation (=be able to be discussed)The price is usually open to negotiation.be open to negotiation (=be willing to discuss something)The president signalled that he is open to negotiation on the budget.be subject to negotiation (=be something that must be discussed)The pay is subject to negotiation.a round of negotiations (=one part of a series of negotiations)the next round of negotiations on trade barriersthe initial/early/final stages of negotiationThe offer was in the final stages of negotiation.a breakdown in negotiations (=an occasion when negotiations cannot continue because of a disagreement)There has been a breakdown in negotiations with the union.
Examples from the Corpus
negotiation• Negotiations involving 108 nations have been bogged down over the issue of refugees.• For example, management might suspend all negotiations about pay and conditions until employees agree to work normally during the bargaining.• Any border changes will come about only by negotiation.• All those stipulations are up for negotiation.• Intense negotiation followed, then shortly afterwards legal threats from Harvard, culminating in a bizarre series of scurrilous allegations and counter-allegations.• That may make negotiation of East-West arms limitation agreements much more complicated.• That is abdication, not negotiation.• There followed seven months of negotiation between the bill's supporters and the Administration.• Hitler's assault in the summer of 1940 put paid to the agitation for peace negotiations.• The outcome raised expectations of full-scale negotiations on a new power-sharing constitution.negotiation on/over• There is always considerable negotiation over the provisions governing the conduct of the business between signing and completion.• It committed the forthcoming summit to draw up a mandate for negotiations on short-range nuclear forces.• Amitha: That's because the Union was too traditional and only involved in negotiations over pay and working conditions.• The completion of multilateral negotiations on the abolition of chemical weapons will be pursued.• Multilateral negotiations on regional economic co-operation were held in Paris on Oct. 29-30.• Will she do more to publicise the results of the recent negotiations on that issue?• Little progress was achieved during the UN-sponsored negotiations over the next two years.• I am reminded of the period in the 1980s when I was directly involved in the negotiations on these matters.From Longman Business Dictionarynegotiationne‧go‧ti‧a‧tion /nɪˌgəʊʃiˈeɪʃən-ˌgoʊ-/ noun [countable usually plural, uncountable] official discussions between groups who are trying to reach an agreementThe company entered into negotiations for the purchase of a site just outside the town.The terms of the contract are still open to negotiation (=can be discussed and changed). 