had negotiated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had negotiated" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that a negotiation took place in the past before another past event. Example: "By the time the contract was signed, they had negotiated the terms for several months."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

After the negotiation, however, participants who had negotiated with an angry counterpart were more likely than those who had negotiated with an emotionally neutral counterpart to assign onerous tasks to their counterpart.

Harvard University

The two groups had negotiated for weeks.

The New York Times

Within a year, Movius had negotiated a lease.

The Washington Post

Anderson said he had negotiated with Guthrie late last month.

The Guardian

Bébé said he had negotiated that contract himself.

The Guardian - Sport

Until now, copyright holders had negotiated royalty payments with users.

The New York Times

By the end of the night, many had negotiated individual exemptions.

The New York Times

The announcement was not a surprise because the committee had negotiated the debt-swap deal.

The New York Times

By 2007, she had negotiated a nearly $20,000 deal to lease her 57 acres.

The New York Times

Justice Farber said Mr. Heller had negotiated "an extraordinarily generous offer" for Mr. Itzler.

The New York Times

They had negotiated a statement of principles but couldn't come up with a legislative plan.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had negotiated" to clearly indicate that a negotiation process occurred before a specific past event or situation. This helps establish a sequence of events in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "had negotiated" when referring to present or future negotiations. Use the simple past tense "negotiated" for completed actions in the past, and future tenses for ongoing or upcoming negotiations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had negotiated" functions as the past perfect tense of the verb "negotiate". It indicates that the action of negotiating was completed before another action or time in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage and provides examples from diverse sources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Academia

8%

Science

6%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had negotiated" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb phrase that indicates a completed negotiation process prior to another event in the past. As Ludwig AI points out, it's widely accepted and appears across various contexts, predominantly in news and media. When using "had negotiated", ensure it accurately reflects the sequence of events you're describing and avoid using it for present or future scenarios. Alternatives such as "reached an agreement" or "came to terms" may be suitable depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reached an agreement

Focuses on the outcome of the negotiation rather than the process.

concluded an agreement

A more formal way of saying they reached an agreement.

came to terms

Emphasizes the acceptance of specific conditions or stipulations.

finalized the terms

Focuses specifically on the details of the agreement being completed.

arranged a settlement

Focuses on the act of arranging or organizing the terms of the agreement.

settled the matter

Suggests resolving a dispute or reaching a conclusion.

worked out a compromise

Implies mutual concessions were made during the negotiation.

brokered a deal

Highlights the involvement of a third party in facilitating the negotiation.

hammered out an agreement

Suggests a difficult or lengthy negotiation process.

struck a bargain

Emphasizes the advantageous nature of the agreement for both parties.

FAQs

How is "had negotiated" used in a sentence?

"Had negotiated" indicates a negotiation completed before another past action. For example, "By the time the contract was signed, they "had negotiated" the terms for several months".

What are some alternatives to "had negotiated"?

You can use phrases like "reached an agreement", "came to terms", or "settled the matter", depending on the specific context.

When should I use "negotiated" instead of "had negotiated"?

Use "negotiated" (simple past) when describing a completed negotiation in the past without reference to another past event. Use "had negotiated" (past perfect) when the negotiation was completed before another event in the past.

What's the difference between "negotiated" and "had negotiated"?

"Negotiated" describes a completed action in the past. "Had negotiated" indicates an action completed before another point in the past, establishing a sequence of events.