YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

arbitrate

Verb

IPA /ˈɑːbɪtreɪt/

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Meaning in plain English

To officially settle a disagreement between people or groups by considering their arguments.

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Pronunciation

arbitrate/ˈɑːbɪtreɪt/

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Two sides cannot settle a dispute
An independent person hears both sides
That person makes an official decision

To arbitrate is to settle a disagreement through an authorised decision.

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Examples in context

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An independent expert agreed to arbitrate in the neighbours' dispute.
The company asked a specialist to arbitrate between management and the union.

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An independent expert agreed to ________ in the neighbours' dispute.

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arbitrate — To officially settle a disagreement between people or groups by considering their arguments.

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To officially settle a disagreement between people or groups by considering their arguments.

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Word origin

From Latin arbitrari, meaning to judge, related to arbiter.

Did you know?

An arbitrator is the person who arbitrates; arbitration is the process.

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