a tentative offer

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a tentative offer" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to an offer that is not yet finalized or is subject to change. Example: "The company made a tentative offer to the candidate, pending the results of the background check."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

A year ago, Yahoo had made a tentative offer for the social networking site.

The Guardian - Business

"There had been a tentative offer of ¤395,000, which was withdrawn at the last moment".

The Guardian - Money

James also said Pryor was not interested in playing in the Canadian Football League; the Saskatchewan Roughriders had extended a tentative offer.

The New York Times - Sports

Earlier this year, Aetna rejected a tentative offer of $70 a share for the entire company from ING and Wellpoint Health Networks of California.

The New York Times

London's black cab maker, Manganese Bronze, admitted yesterday it had received a tentative offer for the company which may lead to a formal bid.

The Guardian - Business

In 2008, Mr. Justen and his investors, who also served on his board, faced an interesting decision: They had a tentative offer to sell the company for a price close to their own valuation.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

The travel Web site Expedia has "excellent" prospects as a stand-alone company, a committee of its directors said yesterday, rebuffing a tentative buyout offer by its majority shareholder, USA Interactive.

The New York Times

It is not their character". Melnitchenko said he has reason to believe that ICN has already made a tentative takeover offer to Hoffman-La Roche. Hoffman-La Roche

Los Angeles Times

Mr. Barak, meanwhile, came under renewed attack from the Israeli right, which publicly spurned his earlier tentative offer to bring the opposition into a new national unity government.

The New York Times

Mr. Mullins said a mediator who recently became involved in the negotiations was key to reaching the tentative offer.

The New York Times

There's already been one tentative offer, with maybe more to come, so it's looking very positive".

The Guardian - Money

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a tentative offer" when you want to convey that the offer is not yet final and may be subject to change based on further developments or negotiations. This is particularly useful in business deals, negotiations, or job offers where certain conditions need to be met.

Common error

Avoid treating "a tentative offer" as a binding agreement. Always clarify the conditions and potential for changes to prevent misunderstandings and legal complications. A tentative offer doesn't guarantee the final outcome.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a tentative offer" functions as a noun phrase, where "tentative" modifies the noun "offer". Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct, typically describing an offer that is not yet finalized or is subject to certain conditions.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a tentative offer" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe an offer that is not yet final. Ludwig's analysis reveals its use is common in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts. The phrase implies that further negotiations or conditions need to be met before the offer becomes binding. Alternatives include "a preliminary bid" or "a conditional offer". It's important not to treat "a tentative offer" as a guaranteed agreement, but rather as a starting point for further discussion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

A conditional offer

Replaces "tentative" with "conditional", emphasizing that the offer is dependent on certain conditions being met.

A preliminary bid

Replaces "offer" with "bid", implying a more formal context, often related to business acquisitions; "preliminary" keeps the sense of being not final.

A provisional proposal

Substitutes both "tentative" and "offer" with synonyms that maintain a formal tone, highlighting the conditional nature of the proposal.

A qualified offer

Similar to conditional, but may imply that the offer is only valid under specific circumstances or for certain individuals.

An initial expression of interest

More verbose, but highlights the early stage and non-binding nature of the offer, suitable for formal situations.

An unconfirmed offer

Highlights the fact that the offer has not been officially validated or finalized.

A non-committal proposal

More explicitly states the lack of commitment involved in the offer, suggesting it can be easily withdrawn.

An exploratory offer

Implies the offer is made to test the waters and gauge interest without a firm commitment.

A speculative proposal

Replaces "offer" with "proposal", the word "speculative" highlights the uncertain nature of the deal.

A rough offer

It emphasizes the lack of precision or finality in the offer.

FAQs

What does "a tentative offer" mean?

The term "a tentative offer" indicates an offer that is not yet final and is subject to change or confirmation. It is often used when some conditions still need to be met or further negotiations are required.

How to use "a tentative offer" in a sentence?

You can use it like this: "The company extended "a tentative offer", pending the candidate's background check results." or "We received "a tentative offer" for the property, but we're waiting for a better one."

What can I say instead of "a tentative offer"?

You can use alternatives like "a preliminary bid", "a provisional proposal", or "a conditional offer" depending on the context.

Is "a tentative offer" the same as a final offer?

No, "a tentative offer" is not the same as a final offer. It means the offer is still subject to change or confirmation, while a final offer is the last and firm offer.