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to negotiate

to negotiate

21 4.1
Move carefully through or around something difficult, like a steep path
  • verb
  • /nɪˈɡoʊʃieɪt/
: sortear
  • From the transfer center, she can independently negotiate her way to the next bus stop.
  • negotiate rough terrain
  • negotiate difficulties
  • negotiate a path

Now it very much depends on how good it is at negotiating these very fine branches.

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Examples

  • She had to negotiate the rocky path carefully to reach the summit safely.

  • It's getting harder to negotiate these stairs.

  • Yeah, yeah, yeah, big time trying to negotiate a crazy bus route looking like this.

  • I can negotiate our way out of this.

  • How is it that we manage to negotiate this space in many, many countries successfully?

  • We slowly negotiated our way out, right.

  • The steep decline would be tough to negotiate with mountaineering equipment and proper footwear.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • And because my mother didn't drive, I negotiated the buses and the trolleys all around Boston.

  • The presidential limousine has a difficult time negotiating its way through the blockading buses.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Hector is following the paramedics as they negotiate Mrs. Philippopolis down the three flights of stairs.

    Fiction book (1993)

Synonyms

to manage
vsto negotiate
∞ 3.2

To do something difficult, often with little help

focuses on overcoming a specific obstacle rather than general coping or surviving
to bypass
vsto negotiate
121 4.7

To avoid dealing with a problem by using a different method

means getting past an obstacle by direct success or navigation rather than avoiding
to get around
vsto negotiate
100 4.2

Avoid doing something difficult or needed by finding a clever way

describes succeeding by passing obstacles rather than by clever avoidance
to go around
vsto negotiate
71 3.5

Find another way to avoid a difficult rule or task

covers getting through or past an obstacle rather than only finding another way
to plough one's way through
vsto negotiate
  • UK
7.4

To move forward with difficulty through people or things with effort

succeeds by going through or around obstacles without relying on force

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Not succeed in doing something you wanted to do

How Easy

to breeze through
  • Informal
6 3.6
to negotiate
21 4.1

Surface Forms

negotiate infinitive
negotiated past
negotiated past participle
negotiating present participle
negotiates third person singular

Etymology

Negotiate comes from the Latin parts ne- 'not' and otium 'leisure', which together meant 'business'. Think of negotiating a steep slope as 'doing the work' to get through a hard place, so the word now also means to manage or get past a difficulty.