Meaning & use
hard bargain
Last updated
Meanings
phraseidiom
To drive a hard bargain means to insist firmly on very favorable terms when negotiating a deal.
Grammar: The verb is usually drive or strike: she drives a hard bargain.
Patterns
- drive a hard bargain
- strike a hard bargain
The seller drove a hard bargain and would not lower the price.
She is known for driving a hard bargain with every supplier.
If you want that salary, you will need to drive a hard bargain.
nouncountable
A deal whose terms are strict or tough for one side, leaving little room for compromise.
Grammar: Countable: a hard bargain for the buyer.
Patterns
- a hard bargain for someone
The contract was a hard bargain for the small publisher.
Selling the shop at that price was a hard bargain, but they accepted.
Word forms
| plural | hard bargains |
|---|
Common combinations
- drive a hard bargain
- He drove a hard bargain at the market.
- strike a hard bargain
- The union struck a hard bargain with management.
- a hard bargain for the buyer
- The price was a hard bargain for the buyer.
- known for driving a hard bargain
- She is known for driving a hard bargain over rent.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tough negotiation
- Tough negotiation describes the difficult talks, whereas hard bargain focuses on the person pushing for the best terms.
- shrewd deal
- A shrewd deal stresses the cleverness of the arrangement rather than the firmness of the negotiator.
- tough deal
- A tough deal highlights the hardship it places on one side.
- strict terms
- Strict terms refers to the conditions of a contract, while hard bargain applies to the bargaining itself.
Opposites
Word family
- bargain noun
- a deal, or something bought cheaply
- bargain verb
- to negotiate the terms of a deal
- bargainer noun
- a person who negotiates
- bargaining noun
- the act of negotiating
Commonly confused: hard bargain or bargain?
hard bargain vs bargain
A plain bargain is usually something bought cheaply, while a hard bargain is a tough deal in which one side gets little.
Practice
The landlord ___ and refused to lower the rent by even a dollar.
Choose one answer.
Drive a hard bargain means to insist on favorable terms. The other phrases are not natural idioms here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hard bargain”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.