bargain

20 synonyms for bargain, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — An item bought for noticeably less than its usual price; a good deal.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

steal agree contract deal engage guarantee promise sell trade

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

giveaway covenant negotiate

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

haggle barter dicker snip come to terms do business make terms stipulate

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

An item bought for noticeably less than its usual price; a good deal.

“Getting a brand new sofa for that price was a genuine bargain.”

haggle barter dicker steal giveaway snip agree come to terms contract covenant deal do business engage guarantee make terms negotiate promise sell stipulate trade

2. verb

To negotiate the terms of a deal, especially over price; to haggle.

“Tourists are often expected to bargain for souvenirs at the street stalls.”

dicker

How to use bargain

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

strike a bargain bargain price bargain with someone bargain hunter

Etymology

From Old French bargaignier, tracing back to a Germanic root meaning "to borrow or lend" — the sense shifted over time from lending to trading and negotiating.

Full origin of bargain →

Frequently asked questions

What does “bargain” mean?

The word “bargain” means an item bought for noticeably less than its usual price; a good deal. In plain terms, either a good deal on a purchase, or the act of negotiating one.

How do you pronounce “bargain”?

“Bargain” is pronounced BAH-guhn (/ˈbɑːɹɡən/ in IPA).

How do you use “bargain” in a sentence?

Here is “bargain” used in a sentence: “At half price, that coat was an absolute bargain.”

What is another word for “bargain”?

Words with a similar meaning to “bargain” include agree, come to terms, contract, covenant, deal and do business.

What part of speech is “bargain”?

Depending on how it is used, “bargain” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “bargain” come from?

The word “bargain” comes from Old French. From Old French bargaignier, tracing back to a Germanic root meaning "to borrow or lend" — the sense shifted over time from lending to trading and negotiating.

Is “bargain” a common word?

“Bargain” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

How many meanings does “bargain” have?

“Bargain” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an item bought for noticeably less than its usual price; a good deal.

What is the difference between bargain and haggle?

To "bargain" is to negotiate the terms of a deal, especially over price, and "haggle" is a near-synonym that stresses persistent back-and-forth over price. Haggling is a more insistent, drawn-out form of bargaining.

What is the difference between a bargain and a discount?

A "bargain" is an item bought for noticeably less than its usual price, a good deal from the buyer's point of view, while a "discount" is the price reduction itself offered by the seller. A discount can create a bargain, but the bargain is the deal the buyer ends up with.

What are common collocations with bargain?

"Bargain" often appears in phrases such as "bargain hunter," "bargain price," "drive a hard bargain," and "strike a bargain." "Drive a hard bargain" uses the negotiation sense, while "bargain price" uses the good-deal sense.

People also searched

deal trade contract agree sell promise steal guarantee engage negotiate covenant giveaway

Nearby words

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