arbitrate

To arbitrate is to act as an arbitrator—an independent, impartial third party that works to settle a dispute between two opposing sides, often by making a decision that they both agree to.

This process is called arbitration. Arbitrate can also mean to engage in arbitration, as in If we can’t come to an agreement, we may need to arbitrate.

For a process to be considered arbitration, it must involve an arbitrator, which can be a single person or a team of people.

The terms arbitrate and arbitration are especially used in the context of negotiations between businesses and labor unions. When the two sides can’t agree and negotiations are unproductive, they may agree or be ordered to arbitrate.

An arbitration process in which the arbitrator’s decision must be accepted by both parties is sometimes called binding arbitration—meaning the arbitrator’s decision is final and legally binding.

The word arbitrate can also be used in a more general way meaning “to determine or settle a dispute,” similar to the word mediate. However, arbitrate often implies that the process is a formal one.

Example: After weeks of negotiations stalled and resulted in an impasse, the two sides agreed to enter arbitration.

The first records of the word arbitrate come from the late 1500s. It ultimately comes from the Latin verb arbitrāri, meaning “to give judgment.”

Arbitrate and arbitration are typically used in a more specific way than mediate and mediation. Mediation generally refers to a process in which an impartial third party (called a mediator) helps parties to settle a dispute or create agreement by acting as an intermediary. This can happen in the workplace or simply among friends, for example.

In contrast, arbitration typically refers to a more formal form of mediation—often one that happens in a legal context. In this way, an arbitrator is a kind of mediator and arbitrating is a form of mediating.

What are some other forms related to arbitrate?

• arbitration (noun)
• arbitrator (noun)
• arbitrable (adjective)
• arbitrative (adjective)

What are some synonyms for arbitrate?

• adjudicate

What are some words that share a root or word element with arbitrate? 

• arbitrer
• arbitrament
• arbitrary

What are some words that often get used in discussing arbitrate?

• settle
• decide
• judge
• rule
• case
• labor union
• dispute
• negotiations
• third party
• agreement
• compromise

Arbitrate is most commonly used in the context of labor disputes.

We need to cut this down to 30 pages, make permits automatic if @sfdbi does not process them in a timely manner, give applicants recourse without retaliation by inspectors, create a third party to arbitrate disputes, and simplify building codes as well. https://t.co/3BAiti4Cao

— Karsten Weide (@WeideKarsten) December 13, 2020

New Zealand willing to arbitrate in Australia-China dispute https://t.co/jNjUFG4eq9

— SCMP News (@SCMPNews) December 15, 2020

Appeals Court Says No FLSA Notice for Employees Who Agree to Arbitrate

James M. Nicholas of Foley Lardner looks at the Seventh Circuit decision in Bigger v. Facebook, Inc.https://t.co/LKdqg9dDWQ

— National Law Review (@natlawreview) February 25, 2020

True or False? 

The word arbitrate commonly means to settle a dispute by formally acting as an impartial third party.