negotiating back and forth

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "negotiating back and forth" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a process of discussion or bargaining where two or more parties exchange proposals or counterproposals repeatedly. Example: "The two companies spent weeks negotiating back and forth before finally reaching an agreement."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The two friends began negotiating back and forth for months.

The New York Times

We then spent an hour or so negotiating back and forth with his lawyer, and he wouldn't accept departure on six months' and wanted to go on 12 months' and more".

The Guardian

"It created this big, stressful thing -- four days of negotiating back and forth" about two people's schedules from six time zones away, said Ms. Danielson, founder of the Downtown Women's Club, a networking organization.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Finally, the more our hypothetical voter knows about how Washington works, the more obvious it becomes that all of this will be hashed out over years of negotiated back-and-forth — because no legislation passed with a razor-thin majority can endure unchanged for decades, and any enduring settlement will have to leave both sides a little unsatisfied.

The New York Times

We negotiated back and forth all week, and we finally reached full agreement on the language, and so I went ahead".

The New York Times

I called the owner of one property, and we negotiated back and forth for several months, until his wife called to say he'd died and asked if I'd still be interested.

Forbes

We negotiated back and forth and in the end, our draft was rejected.

Huffington Post

LBL and the nurse negotiated back and forth a couple of times, until LBL felt like she was buying a used car.

Huffington Post

Negotiate back and forth, depending on which company you want to end up with and how many bridges you want to burn".

Forbes

As a result the E.C. has usually taken a flexible approach to decision-making, consisting of several rounds of analysis and back-and-forth negotiating with the parties involved.

The New York Times

Stanford had been frustrated by, among other issues, the back-and-forth negotiating that the city did once the university had submitted its bid in October, according to an earlier report by The New York Times.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "negotiating back and forth", ensure the context clearly indicates that the parties involved are making reciprocal offers and concessions.

Common error

Avoid using "negotiating back and forth" excessively in formal reports. Opt for more concise alternatives like "negotiating" or "exchanging proposals" for a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "negotiating back and forth" functions as a gerund phrase, often used as a noun or adjective to describe a process of iterative discussion and bargaining. As Ludwig confirms, the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "negotiating back and forth" is a grammatically correct and understandable way to describe an iterative bargaining process. Ludwig confirms its usability, and while it appears most commonly in News & Media, it can be considered appropriate for various contexts. While "negotiating back and forth" can add emphasis, it's crucial to be mindful of potential redundancy, especially in formal settings. Opting for simpler terms like "negotiating" may enhance clarity in professional documents. Finally, remember that choosing contextually appropriate alternatives can improve clarity and effectiveness in any writing scenario.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bargaining back and forth

Replaces "negotiating" with "bargaining", emphasizing haggling over terms.

reciprocal bargaining

Highlights the reciprocal nature of bargaining.

back-and-forth dialogue

Highlights the conversational aspect of the negotiation process.

discussing back and forth

Substitutes "negotiating" with "discussing", suggesting a less formal exchange.

iterative negotiations

Uses "iterative" to highlight the repetitive nature of the negotiations.

ongoing negotiations

Suggests that negotiations are in progress without emphasizing the iterative nature.

repeated discussions

Emphasizes the repetition of discussions, removing the negotiation aspect.

trading concessions

Emphasizes the act of giving up something in order to reach an agreement.

exchanging proposals

Focuses on the exchange of proposals, a key component of negotiation.

shuttle diplomacy

Implies a third party mediating the negotiations, adding a layer of complexity.

FAQs

How can I use "negotiating back and forth" in a sentence?

You can use "negotiating back and forth" to describe a prolonged discussion where parties exchange offers and counter-offers, for example: "The companies were "bargaining back and forth" for weeks before reaching an agreement."

What phrases are similar to "negotiating back and forth"?

Similar phrases include "discussing back and forth", "iterative negotiations", and "repeated discussions", each with slightly different connotations.

Is "negotiating back and forth" redundant?

While "negotiating" inherently implies a back-and-forth exchange, adding "back and forth" emphasizes the iterative and reciprocal nature of the process. The redundancy, if any, is for emphasis.

When is it better to use "negotiating" instead of "negotiating back and forth"?

In formal contexts, "negotiating" alone might be preferable for brevity. However, "negotiating back and forth" is suitable when highlighting the extended and interactive nature of the discussions.