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arbitrate

AHR-bih-treyt /ˈɑːrbɪtreɪt/

verbC1GRESATGMATUPSC

formallegalbusiness

(Of an independent person or body) reach an authoritative judgment or settlement.

Implies a formal, legalistic process where a neutral judge (arbitrator) hears both sides and makes a legally binding decision.

The story behind the word. In ancient Rome, an arbiter was someone who went to a place to see or witness something firsthand, and thus was qualified to act as an objective judge. Over time, it came to mean a person appointed to settle a dispute authoritatively.

Word relationships

adjudicate: Adjudicate is strictly a court-based judicial process, while arbitrate is often an out-of-court alternative dispute resolution.

vacillate: Vacillate means to waver indecisively, whereas arbitrate means to make a firm, binding decision.

Commonly confused with

mediate: A mediator helps parties agree; an arbitrator makes the decision for them.

Word family

arbitration (noun): the hearing and determining of a dispute
arbitrator (noun): an independent person appointed to settle a dispute

Collocations

arbitrate a dispute
agree to arbitrate
binding arbitration

Idioms & expressions

lay down the law
call the shots

Example sentences

"The board was called upon to arbitrate the dispute between the union and management." Describing a formal legal dispute.
"Both countries agreed to let an international tribunal arbitrate their maritime boundary dispute." Discussing international arbitration.

Memory hook

Think of 'arbitrary' decisions. An arbitrator makes a final decision that might seem arbitrary to the losing side, but must be followed. The arbiter's word is law.

When not to use

Do not use for informal advice-giving or when the parties are still negotiating directly.

Fun facts

The word 'arbitrary' originally meant 'dependent on an arbiter's discretion', which is why it came to mean absolute or seemingly random decisions.