bargain
gb/bˈɑɹɡɪn/ us/bˈɑɹɡɪn/
A2
English
~ 3700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Something bought cheaply
Something you buy for less money than usual and is good value.
Usage pattern:
[someone] gets a bargain
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'bargain' with 'sale'; 'sale' refers to the event, while 'bargain' refers to the specific item or deal.
Synonyms
deal (General term for a purchase arrangement; not always implying low price.)
|
steal (Informal; emphasizes that the price is extremely low, almost unfairly so.)
Antonyms
rip-off (Something sold at an unreasonably high price, the opposite of a bargain.)
Collocations
good bargain
|real bargain
|pick up a bargain
|find a bargain
Themes
shopping
|business
|daily life
|finance
|daily_life
Examples
- I found a real bargain in the clearance section.
- That coat was a bargain at only $40.
- Shoppers rushed in to grab the holiday bargains.
- You can get some great bargains online if you look carefully.
Learner examples
- This shirt was a bargain.
- I got a bargain at the market.
- The shoes were a bargain.
- She found a bargain in the shop.
Verb
B1
action
2
Negotiate for a better price
To talk with someone to try to get a lower price.
Usage pattern:
[someone] bargains with [someone] for [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may mistakenly use 'bargain' as a noun when they mean the action; for example, 'I made a bargain' instead of 'I bargained'.
Synonyms
negotiate (More formal and can refer to any agreement, not just price.)
Antonyms
accept (To agree to the offered terms without trying to change them.)
Collocations
bargain hard
|bargain with
|bargain over
Themes
shopping
|business
|finance
|communication
Examples
- We bargained with the vendor for a better rate.
- She likes to bargain when traveling abroad.
- They spent an hour bargaining over the price of the car.
Learner examples
- I bargained for a lower price.
- She bargained with the seller.
- We bargained at the market.
Noun
B2
relation
3
Mutual agreement or contract
An agreement between people about what each person will do or get.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with 'contract'; while similar, 'bargain' is often less formal and more about mutual benefit.
Synonyms
agreement (General term; does not imply negotiation or exchange.)
|
deal (Informal; often used in business or casual settings.)
Antonyms
disagreement (Lack of agreement between parties.)
Collocations
strike a bargain
|honor a bargain
|keep a bargain
Themes
business
|law
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They made a bargain to share the profits equally.
- According to our bargain, you do the cooking and I do the cleaning.
- The two companies struck a bargain over distribution rights.
Learner examples
- We made a bargain to help each other.
- They have a bargain about work.
- I will keep my bargain.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bargain
IPA
GB/bˈɑɹɡɪn/
US/bˈɑɹɡɪn/
Syllables & stress
bar - gain (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (bar)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: bargain
- Plural: bargains
Verb
- Base: bargain
- 3rd Person Singular: bargains
- Present Participle: bargaining
- Past: bargained
Word family
Forms
bargains
noun
bargaining
verb
bargained
verb
Related words
bargainer
noun
Expressions
drive a hard bargain
1/dɹˈaɪv ə hˈɑɹd bˈɑɹɡɪn/
idiom
Negotiate very firmly for advantage
To be very firm and tough when talking about price or conditions so you get what you want.
Examples
- The lawyer drove a hard bargain and got an excellent settlement for her client.
- He’s known to drive a hard bargain when buying property.
into the bargain
1/ˈɪntu ðə bˈɑɹɡɪn/
idiom
In addition to something else mentioned
As well as what has already been said or given.
Examples
- She’s talented and beautiful into the bargain.
- He’s smart and funny into the bargain.
make a bargain
1/mˈeɪk ə bˈɑɹɡɪn/
fixed phrase
Agree on exchange terms with someone
To decide together on what each person will give or get.
Examples
- We made a bargain to help each other finish our work.
- They made a bargain over the sale of the land.
strike a bargain
1/stɹˈaɪk ə bˈɑɹɡɪn/
idiom
Reach an agreement after discussion
To make an agreement with someone after talking about it.
Examples
- After hours of talks, they struck a bargain with the union.
- We finally struck a bargain on the project terms.