Deal (noun) — an agreement or arrangement made between two or more parties, typically involving an exchange of money, goods, or services.
Deal (verb) — to handle, manage, or take action in relation to a person or situation; also to distribute cards in a game.
What Does Deal Mean?
Deal comes from Old English dælan, meaning "to divide" or "to share", related to the Old English noun dæl (portion, part). It shares its root with the German teilen (to divide) and has been in continuous use in English for over a thousand years. The modern sense of "agreement" grew naturally from the idea of dividing something between two parties.
As a noun, deal refers to any formal or informal agreement — from a multimillion-pound merger to buying something at a discount. It is the standard word in British journalism for agreements between governments, companies, or individuals: "the Brexit trade deal", "a record deal", "a peace deal".
As a verb, deal is most commonly used in the phrasal verb deal with, meaning to manage or handle something. It can also mean to buy and sell a commodity (deal in antiques) or to distribute playing cards (deal the cards). The irregular past tense form is dealt — rhymes with "felt". See Cambridge Dictionary's full entry on “deal” for more examples.
Example Sentences (A2–C1)
| Sentence | Level & Note |
|---|---|
| They signed a deal worth millions of pounds. | A2 — basic noun use |
| Can you deal with the post while I am away? | B1 — phrasal verb: handle a task |
| The two countries struck a deal to reduce carbon emissions. | B2 — formal collocation: strike a deal |
| She deals in vintage furniture and has clients across Europe. | B2 — phrasal verb: buy and sell |
| The terms of the deal were subject to rigorous due diligence before either party was willing to proceed. | C1 — formal/business register |
Common Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| strike a deal | to successfully negotiate an agreement — "The unions struck a deal with management." |
| clinch / seal / close a deal | to finalise an agreement — "She clinched the deal after months of talks." |
| good deal / bad deal | a favourable or unfavourable arrangement — "They got a good deal on the new offices." |
| big deal | something important (or sarcastically: unimportant) — "This contract is a big deal for us." |
| trade deal | an agreement between countries on trade — "Parliament voted on the new trade deal." |
| deal with | to handle or manage — "The helpdesk dealt with over 200 queries today." |
| deal in | to trade in a type of goods — "He deals in rare coins." |
| a great deal of | a large amount of — "The restoration required a great deal of expertise." |
Usage Notes: Formal vs Informal
Register guide
Informal / spoken: "It's a deal!" (= I agree), "No big deal" (= it doesn't matter), "What's the deal?" (= What is happening / What is the situation?). These phrases are common in everyday conversation but would sound out of place in a formal report.
Neutral / journalistic: "The two firms announced a deal worth £500 million." This is the most common register for deal as a noun in British English.
Formal / legal: In contracts and legal documents, prefer agreement, arrangement, or contract rather than deal. Reserve deal for summaries, headlines, and reported speech.
Idiomatic: "a raw deal" means unfair treatment. "Deal or no deal" signals a final choice. "Big deal" used sarcastically is very common in spoken British English.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
I dealed with the problem yesterday.
I dealt with the problem yesterday. (past tense of deal is dealt — irregular)
We made a deal about the price.
We struck / reached / agreed a deal on the price. (use strike, reach, or agree — not make a deal in formal contexts)
She deals with rare stamps. (if she sells them)
She deals in rare stamps. (deal in = to buy and sell; deal with = to handle)
Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Vocabulary
Practise This Word
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Frequently Asked Questions about “deal”
What does deal mean in English?
As a noun, a deal is a formal or informal agreement between two or more people or organisations — for example, a business deal or a peace deal. As a verb, to deal with something means to handle or manage it: 'She dealt with the complaint professionally.' The word is extremely common in both formal and informal British English.
What is the difference between deal and agreement?
Both words refer to an arrangement between parties, but deal is slightly more informal and often implies a negotiation or exchange of value. Agreement is more neutral and formal. You would say 'sign a deal' in business news reporting, but 'reach an agreement' in legal documents. In everyday speech, deal is the more natural choice.
What does 'deal with' mean?
The phrasal verb 'deal with' means to take action in order to handle a situation, task, or person. For example: 'The manager dealt with the customer's complaint swiftly.' It can also mean to be about a subject: 'This chapter deals with grammar.' Both meanings are very common in British English.
What does 'big deal' mean in informal English?
'Big deal' is used in two ways. Literally, it means something very important or significant: 'Signing this contract is a big deal for our company.' Informally, it is often used sarcastically to say something is not impressive: 'Oh, you washed one dish — big deal!' The sarcastic use is especially common in spoken British English.
What are common collocations with deal?
Common collocations with deal as a noun include: strike a deal, clinch a deal, seal a deal, close a deal, good deal, bad deal, business deal, peace deal, trade deal. As a verb: deal with a problem, deal with a client, deal in antiques, deal cards. Learning these collocations will help you sound much more natural in English.
What is the past tense of deal?
The past tense and past participle of deal is dealt (irregular verb). For example: 'She dealt with the issue immediately.' 'The cards were dealt at the start of the game.' Be careful not to say 'dealed' — this is a common learner error. The pronunciation of dealt rhymes with 'felt' and 'melt'.
What does 'a good deal' mean?
'A good deal' has two distinct meanings. First, it can mean a purchase or arrangement that represents good value: 'I got a good deal on those trainers — they were half price.' Second, in more formal or literary English, 'a good deal of' means a large amount of: 'The project requires a good deal of patience.' The second meaning is less common in everyday speech.
What is the difference between 'deal in' and 'deal with'?
'Deal in' means to buy and sell a particular type of goods as a business: 'She deals in rare books.' 'Deal with' means to handle or manage a situation or person: 'He deals with all customer enquiries.' These are two different phrasal verbs with distinct meanings, so it is important not to confuse them.
Where does the word deal come from?
Deal comes from Old English 'dælan' meaning 'to divide' or 'to share', related to the noun 'dæl' meaning 'part' or 'portion'. It is connected to the German word 'teilen' (to divide). The sense of 'agreement' developed later, reflecting the idea of dividing something between two parties. The word has been in continuous use in English for over a thousand years.
How can I practise using deal in English?
Use LexFizz's Flash Cards to test your knowledge of deal and its collocations, or try the Complete the Sentence exercise to practise choosing between deal, deal with, and deal in. Reading business news in English is also an excellent way to encounter deal in authentic contexts — look for phrases like 'strike a deal' and 'close a deal' in headlines.