arbitrate
AHR-bih-trayt
/ˈɑːrbɪtreɪt/
To act as an independent person or body to settle a dispute between two opposing parties after hearing their arguments.
Implies a formal, structured process where both sides agree to let a neutral third party make a binding decision.
The story behind the word. In ancient Rome, an 'arbiter' was someone who went to a place to see or hear something firsthand, acting as an eyewitness. Because they had direct knowledge of the event, they were trusted to settle disputes fairly, giving rise to our modern legal term.
Word relationships
- mediate: In mediation, the third party helps the disputants reach their own agreement; in arbitration, the third party makes the final decision for them.
- reconcile: Reconcile means to restore friendly relations, whereas arbitrate focuses on legally settling a specific dispute.
- litigate: Litigate means to take a dispute to a public court of law, whereas arbitrate is an private alternative dispute resolution process.
Commonly confused with
- arbitrary: Arbitrary means based on random choice or personal whim, while arbitrate is a structured, logical process of dispute resolution.
Word family
- arbitration (noun): The hearing and determining of a dispute by an impartial referee.
- arbitrator (noun): An independent person officially appointed to settle a dispute.
Collocations
- arbitrate a dispute
- agree to arbitrate
- power to arbitrate
Example sentences
- "A neutral panel was brought in to arbitrate the salary dispute between the players' union and the owners." Labor disputes in sports
- "The contract states that any future disagreements must be arbitrated rather than taken to court." Contractual disagreements
Memory hook
An 'arbitrator' acts like a 'referee' to make sure the 'rate' of the contract is fair. An eyewitness settling a fight.
When not to use
Do not use for casual, informal arguments where a friend simply helps two people compromise; use 'mediate' instead.
Fun facts
- Major League Baseball has a famous 'salary arbitration' process where an arbitrator must choose either the team's salary offer or the player's demand, with no middle ground allowed.
Related words
Explore more words
adjudicate, arbitration, mediate, mediation, impartial, preside
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