agreement
High (C1 on CEFR scale, but encountered from B1 level).Neutral to formal. Used across all registers, from everyday speech to high-level legal and academic contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A mutual decision or arrangement between two or more parties, where they share the same opinion or reach a formal consensus.
The state or act of agreeing, concord, or harmony; in grammar, the correspondence in grammatical features (like number, gender, case) between different words in a sentence; in law, a legally binding contract or treaty.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Refers both to the abstract state of being in accord and to the concrete document or terms recording that accord. A 'gentlemen's agreement' is informal and non-binding, whereas a 'legal agreement' is formal and enforceable.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. In legal contexts, 'agreement' is slightly more common in the UK, while 'contract' is more prevalent in US legalese. The phrase 'covenant' for a formal, solemn agreement is more frequent in American legal/biblical language.
Connotations
Neutral in both. No significant difference in connotation.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[agreement] on something[agreement] with somebody/something[agreement] to do something[agreement] that + clausein [agreement] withVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “gentlemen's agreement”
- “in agreement”
- “a meeting of minds”
- “sign on the dotted line (related to finalising an agreement)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Crucial for defining partnerships, sales, employment, and service terms. E.g., 'The shareholders ratified the merger agreement.'
Academic
Used in legal, political science, and linguistics (grammatical agreement). E.g., 'The study analysed international environmental agreements.'
Everyday
Common for plans between friends, family decisions, or service contracts. E.g., 'We have an agreement that I cook and she washes up.'
Technical
In linguistics: 'subject-verb agreement'. In law: the specific elements (offer, acceptance, consideration) that form a binding agreement.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- 'Agree' is the verb form. E.g., 'We agree to the terms.'
- 'They agreed on a price for the car.'
American English
- 'Agree' is the verb form. E.g., 'We agree to the terms.'
- 'They agreed on a price for the car.'
adverb
British English
- 'Agreeably' (pleasantly) exists but is not directly derived from 'agreement'. Not commonly used in this context.
American English
- 'Agreeably' (pleasantly) exists but is not directly derived from 'agreement'. Not commonly used in this context.
adjective
British English
- 'Agreed' is the participial adjective. E.g., 'The agreed price was £500.'
- 'It was an agreed-upon strategy.'
American English
- 'Agreed' is the participial adjective. E.g., 'The agreed price was $500.'
- 'It was an agreed-upon strategy.'
Examples
By CEFR Level
- They have an agreement to share the toys.
- My parents are in agreement about my bedtime.
- We finally reached an agreement on where to go for holiday.
- The two companies signed a new trade agreement.
- The tenancy agreement clearly states that pets are not allowed.
- After lengthy negotiations, a tentative agreement was drafted.
- The Paris Agreement represents a landmark in global climate diplomacy.
- The verb must be in grammatical agreement with the subject in number and person.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'AGREE' + 'MENT' – the result (the '-ment') of having agreed on something.
Conceptual Metaphor
AGREEMENT IS A BOND/TIE (e.g., 'binding agreement', 'ties that bind'), AGREEMENT IS A JOURNEY TOGETHER (e.g., 'reach an agreement', 'come to an agreement').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'dogovor' for all contexts; 'agreement' is broader. 'Soglashenie' is closer for informal consensus. In grammar, 'agreement' is 'soglasovanie', not 'soglasie'.
- The phrase 'by mutual agreement' is often best translated as 'po vzaimnomu soglasiju', not 'dogovoru'.
Common Mistakes
- Using the wrong preposition: 'agreement of' (incorrect for consensus) instead of 'agreement on/with/about'.
- Confusing countable/uncountable: 'We made an agreement' (correct) vs 'We made agreement' (incorrect).
- Misspelling as 'aggrement'.
- Using 'agreement' for a one-sided decision or promise.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT typically a synonym for a formal, written 'agreement'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Agreement' is the broadest term for any mutual arrangement. A 'contract' is a specific, legally binding written agreement, often involving exchange. A 'treaty' is a formal agreement between sovereign states.
It can be, but it is much harder to prove the terms in court compared to a written agreement. For important matters, a written contract is always advisable.
It refers to the way words change their form (e.g., adding an -s) to match other words in a sentence. For example, in 'She walks', the verb 'walks' agrees with the singular subject 'She'.
Yes, when referring to the abstract state of harmony. E.g., 'There was widespread agreement on the issue.' When referring to a specific instance or document, it is countable: 'We signed three agreements.'
Collections
Part of a collection
Workplace Vocabulary
B1 · 48 words · Professional language for the working environment.
Debate Vocabulary
B2 · 48 words · Language for constructing arguments and discussions.