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verb C1 Advanced

haggle

HA-guhl

Haggle (verb) means to negotiate persistently over a price or deal. Example: “They haggled over the price of the rug for nearly twenty minutes.”

verb
1
To negotiate persistently over a price or deal.
"They haggled over the price of the rug for nearly twenty minutes."
"It's common to haggle at open-air markets."

How to use haggle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo bargain back and forth to get a better price.

Common pairings
haggle over the price haggle with a seller

Word forms

haggled past tense, haggles singular

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They _____ over the price of the rug for nearly twenty minutes.

Etymology

From the 1570s, originally meaning "to cut unevenly," a frequentative of Middle English haggen ("to chop"); the sense shifted to "argue over price" by around 1600.

Origin: Middle English · First attested 1600

Class of 1600 haggle joined the language around 1600.
See the full Class of 1600 →

Related words

Rhymes for haggle

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Frequently asked questions

What does “haggle” mean?

The word “haggle” means to negotiate persistently over a price or deal. In plain terms, to bargain back and forth to get a better price.

How do you pronounce “haggle”?

“Haggle” is pronounced HA-guhl (/ˈhæɡəl/ in IPA).

How do you use “haggle” in a sentence?

Here is “haggle” used in a sentence: “They haggled over the price of the rug for nearly twenty minutes.”

What part of speech is “haggle”?

“Haggle” is a verb.

Where does the word “haggle” come from?

The word “haggle” dates back to around 1600 and comes from Middle English. From the 1570s, originally meaning "to cut unevenly," a frequentative of Middle English haggen ("to chop"); the sense shifted to "argue over price" by around 1600.

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