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Glite Dictionary
to split the difference

to split the difference

9 4.1
Agree on a middle amount between two offers
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : hacer un compromiso
  • During the negotiations, both parties agreed to split the difference on the proposed salary.

And that was the epiphany because all I have to do is split the difference.

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Examples

  • But how do I split the difference?

    Blog text (7)

  • So let's split the difference and say that he may be back by Columbus Day weekend.

    Blog text (25)

  • Perhaps we could split the difference on materials.

    The Brutalist (2024)

  • How about we split the difference?

    Fiction book (1998)

  • So I decided to split the difference.

    Blog text (4)

  • Why don't we split the difference?

    Fear of a Black Hat (1994)

  • Let's split the difference, Mr. McCoy.

    Hot to Trot (1988)

  • In essence, the two sides would have to split the difference between their conflicting views of the past.

    Academic text (2006)

  • We'll split the difference.

    St. Vincent (2014)

  • Let's split the difference.

    Pure Luck (1991)

Synonyms

to compromise
vsto split the difference
215 3.7

To settle a disagreement by each side giving up something

takes the actual middle value as the agreed solution
to cut a deal
vsto split the difference
  • Informal
94 3.5

Make an agreement after talking, often in business or politics

settles at a middle number rather than any negotiated arrangement
to give ground
vsto split the difference
3 4.9

To accept less than you want in a discussion to reach an agreement

yields position rather than agreeing to a single middle amount
to meet halfway
vsto split the difference
2 3.5

Each person gives up some of what they want to reach an agreement

accepts a single middle value rather than mutual concessions
to split the baby
vsto split the difference
  • Informal
1 8.1

To give each side part of what they want so both feel happy

accepts a middle amount instead of dividing the outcome
to thrash out a compromise
vsto split the difference
5.7

Talk about things fully to reach an agreement when people disagree

reaches a middle position rather than focusing on long discussion

Surface Forms

split the difference infinitive
split the difference past
split the difference past participle
splitting the difference present participle
splits the difference third person singular

Morphology

split + the + difference

The meaning 'compromise by accepting a middle value' is directly derivable from 'split' (to divide) and 'difference' (the gap or amount between two proposals): to split the difference literally means to divide that gap and take the midpoint. This compositional logic is intuitive and cross-linguistically common (cf. 'meet halfway' or dividing the gap), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will likely infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Split the difference may come from a simple image: when two people disagree on a number, you split the difference by cutting the gap between them in half, like sharing a pie down the middle. So the phrase now means 'to compromise' or 'agree on a middle amount'.