To negotiate and to treat are likewise collective acts, but both these words lay stress upon deliberation with adjustment of mutual claims and interests; transact, while it may depend upon previous deliberation, states execution only.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

trade Abraham Lincoln's father was a carpenter by trade.
sell They sell many types of food and grocery products.
bargain He is a right person who can drive a hard bargain.
arrange Can you arrange a meeting with the vice president?
transact He began to transact business with the firm.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
negotiate		steady
trade		falling
sell		steady
bargain		falling
dicker		steady
arrange		steady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters: sell¹, pass¹, beat¹
5 letters: trade¹, treat¹
6 letters: barter², dicker², higgle
7 letters: bargain², arrange²
8 letters: transfer², transact²
9 letters: negociate

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (barter² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: négocier
Italiano: negoziare
Español: negociar
Deutsch: verhandeln