palter

verb

ˈpȯl-tər How to pronounce palter (audio)
Definition of palternext
as in to deal
to talk over or dispute the terms of a purchase unwilling to palter over the price of the car

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb palter differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of palter are equivocate, fib, lie, and prevaricate. While all these words mean "to tell an untruth," palter implies making unreliable statements of fact or intention or insincere promises.

a swindler paltering with his investors

When is equivocate a more appropriate choice than palter?

While the synonyms equivocate and palter are close in meaning, equivocate implies using words having more than one sense so as to seem to say one thing but intend another.

equivocated endlessly in an attempt to mislead her inquisitors

When is it sensible to use fib instead of palter?

The words fib and palter are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fib applies to a telling of a trivial untruth.

fibbed about the price of the new suit

When can lie be used instead of palter?

Although the words lie and palter have much in common, lie is the blunt term, imputing dishonesty.

lied about where he had been

How do prevaricate and lie relate to one another, in the sense of palter?

Prevaricate softens the bluntness of lie by implying quibbling or confusing the issue.

during the hearings the witness did his best to prevaricate

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of palter Rather than wait to share the witches’ paltering pronouncements with Lady M (Indira Varma) in person, the thane of Glamis chooses to send word to his wife in advance of his return from battle. —Rhoda Feng, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palter
  1. deal
  2. negotiate
  3. bargain
  4. haggle
Verb
  • Prospective international students to the U.S. were dealt another blow when U.S. embassies were ordered not to schedule any new student visa interviews while the Trump Administration prepares to expand its vetting of applicants’ social media profiles.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 28 May 2025
  • Meanwhile, Trump's immigration agenda was dealt another recent blow after the Supreme Court, in a 7-2 ruling, temporarily blocked the president from invoking the Alien Enemies Act to detain or deport Venezuelan nationals.
    — Sonam Sheth Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
Definition of deal
Verb
  • For starters, unlike Trump’s single-minded focus on China during his first-term trade war, Trump 2.0 is sparring with every country on the planet with the ostensible goal of negotiating freer and fairer trade deals, from our closest democratic allies to the Chinese Communist Party.
    — Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
  • Here’s the thing, no employee should be left to negotiate basic dignity on their own.
    — Aparna Rae, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Definition of negotiate
Verb
  • Medicine and equipment was stolen amid the fighting, so nurses have learned to bargain for it at nearby pharmacies.
    — Sophie Neiman, Christian Science Monitor, 5 May 2025
  • The two unions have joined together to bargain, with negotiations continuing over the past week on issues like holidays, alternative work weeks, time off, health insurance and retirement plans.
    — Staff report, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2025
Definition of bargain
Verb
  • For weeks, Republicans in Congress have been haggling over cuts to Medicaid, the health care program for the poor.
    — Editorial, Boston Herald, 27 May 2025
  • House members had spent several days last week haggling over nuances in the bill, including spending cuts and concerns over its impact on long-term debt.
    — Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 19 May 2025
Definition of haggle

Browse Nearby Words

palsy-walsy
palter
paltered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Palter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palter. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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