--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A preliminary agreement in principle is…" description: "\"A preliminary agreement in principle is not a deal.\" — Krystal Ball" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/krystal-ball-11862_agreement_a-preliminary-agreement-in-principle-is_1209012.jpg" --- # A preliminary agreement in principle is not a deal. ![“A preliminary agreement in principle is not a deal.” quote by Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/krystal-ball-11862_agreement_a-preliminary-agreement-in-principle-is_1209012.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/krystal-ball-11862_agreement_a-preliminary-agreement-in-principle-is_1209012.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/krystal-ball-11862_agreement_a-preliminary-agreement-in-principle-is_1209012.jpg) > “A preliminary agreement in principle is not a deal.” [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A preliminary agreement signals intent but lacks binding commitment, cautioning against assuming certainty. **In simple terms:** Preliminary not a final deal. Key Takeaway Treat early agreements as tentative. Themes business law negotiation Mood cautious pragmatic Type advice legal When to use this quote - startup funding - policy drafting - partnership talks Key Concepts contract theory risk management Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards ensure clarity? - When should you move beyond principle? A Different Perspective Premature confidence can cause loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agreement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agreement/) [Agreement Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agreement-principle-3656157/) [Deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deal/) [Negotiation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiation/) [Preliminary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preliminary/) [Preliminary Agreement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preliminary-agreement-3656155/) [Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle/) [Principle Deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-deal-3656156/) ## Related quotes > [In my work I've never done preliminary drawing, because it's sometimes difficult to repeat something or to continue when the urgency's gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-petherbridge/in-my-work-i-ve-never-done-preliminary-drawing-because-it-s-sometimes/) [Deanna Petherbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-petherbridge/) > [I went looking for some preliminary information, and very quickly was struck by the sort of way the surface-level knowledge about Zelda doesn't begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-fowler/i-went-looking-for-some-preliminary-information-and-very-quickly-was/) [Therese Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-fowler/) > [The start-up life kept me busy and surfaced the problem of not being able to stay on top of my personal finances, which led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/the-start-up-life-kept-me-busy-and-surfaced-the-problem-of-not-being/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [This hearing came about very quickly. I do have a few preliminary comments, but I suspect you're more interested in asking questions, and I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/this-hearing-came-about-very-quickly-i-do-have-a-few-preliminary/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [Her failure was a useful preliminary to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/her-failure-was-a-useful-preliminary-to-success/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [The dance commonly begins about the middle of the afternoon or later, after sundown. When it begins in the afternoon, there is always an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mooney/the-dance-commonly-begins-about-the-middle-of-the-afternoon-or-later/) [James Mooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mooney/) > [I made the assumption, wrong of course, that conceptual analysis was a brief preliminary on the road to finding out about the nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/i-made-the-assumption-wrong-of-course-that-conceptual-analysis-was-a/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [I've been urged by people forever to try and start a real Rock Hall of Fame. I've had some very, very preliminary discussions about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-trunk/i-ve-been-urged-by-people-forever-to-try-and-start-a-real-rock-hall/) [Eddie Trunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-trunk/) > [There is a preliminary belief that Tuolumne River water could be captured by other reservoirs that are downstream from Hetch Hetchy, the Cherry and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-gonzalez/there-is-a-preliminary-belief-that-tuolumne-river-water-could-be/) [Matt Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-gonzalez/) > [After preliminary research, I zero in on an idea, and then I spend at least four months exploring the topic and in plot-building. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/after-preliminary-research-i-zero-in-on-an-idea-and-then-i-spend-at/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [There's something about sitting face-to-face with an attorney in an office that enables people to come to grips with the very idea of divorce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-wasser/there-s-something-about-sitting-face-to-face-with-an-attorney-in-an/) [Laura Wasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-wasser/) > [I'm in that very preliminary stage of wondering how exactly to "pressurize" the novel in some way I've never considered before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leyner/i-m-in-that-very-preliminary-stage-of-wondering-how-exactly-to/) [Mark Leyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leyner/) > [My own eyes are no more than scouts on a preliminary search, for the camera's eye may entirely change my idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/my-own-eyes-are-no-more-than-scouts-on-a-preliminary-search-for-the/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [Preliminary drawings or sketches in oil or pastel often have an immediacy and emotional appeal far greater than the final canvas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mellon/preliminary-drawings-or-sketches-in-oil-or-pastel-often-have-an/) [Paul Mellon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mellon/) > [Writers tend to write stories as a kind of holiday between novels, or as preliminary steps towards a novel. Stories just don't often make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lasdun/writers-tend-to-write-stories-as-a-kind-of-holiday-between-novels-or/) [James Lasdun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lasdun/) ## More by Krystal Ball > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [While President Obama assumes that at their core the Republican leadership team is just trying to do what's best for America, Mitch McConnell and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/while-president-obama-assumes-that-at-their-core-the-republican/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [The Trump administration has been quietly moving to systematically undermine health care putting lives at risk and offering no alternative solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-trump-administration-has-been-quietly-moving-to-systematically/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [Voters do not choose candidates because of their ideological fit. They choose them because of their cultural fit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/voters-do-not-choose-candidates-because-of-their-ideological-fit-they/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [For a long time, Americans have bought into the meritocracy, the American dream ideal. But when we watched banksters completely destroy our economy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/for-a-long-time-americans-have-bought-into-the-meritocracy-the/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [I've lived in the state almost my entire life, so I think if I ever wanted to come back and serve in Virginia, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/i-ve-lived-in-the-state-almost-my-entire-life-so-i-think-if-i-ever/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [As soon as you know that someone is running for office, it puts a distance between you and that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/as-soon-as-you-know-that-someone-is-running-for-office-it-puts-a/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [I have a message for any young woman who is thinking about running for office and has ever attended a costume party... or done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/i-have-a-message-for-any-young-woman-who-is-thinking-about-running/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [You cannot win the democratic nomination if you are not trusted on the most important issue to democratic voters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/you-cannot-win-the-democratic-nomination-if-you-are-not-trusted-on/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [To my friends on the right, Katie Hill's national shaming is as much an example of an out of control cancel culture as anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/to-my-friends-on-the-right-katie-hill-s-national-shaming-is-as-much/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [If you want to understand why something is happening in America just follow the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/if-you-want-to-understand-why-something-is-happening-in-america-just/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [We can all mouth the words that every human is fundamentally worthy, but we don't act like it. We don't even believe it about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/we-can-all-mouth-the-words-that-every-human-is-fundamentally-worthy/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [It can be really lonely running for office, especially if you've never done it before and especially when all the normal channels of power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/it-can-be-really-lonely-running-for-office-especially-if-you-ve-never/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [But the truth is the meritocracy is a lie. Those born into wealth and privilege will always be able to game the system for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/but-the-truth-is-the-meritocracy-is-a-lie-those-born-into-wealth-and/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [Most of you probably already know this but for those who don't, I was a bit of a trailblazer in the field of salacious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/most-of-you-probably-already-know-this-but-for-those-who-don-t-i-was/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) [Explore all 57 Krystal Ball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) ## More Agreement quotes > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/) [Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/) > [In coming to that agreement, my party had a clear philosophy throughout. In Northern Ireland, we should have institutions that respected the differences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/in-coming-to-that-agreement-my-party-had-a-clear-philosophy/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [Identity is not negotiable. An identity you have achieved by agreement is always a prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-john-harrison/identity-is-not-negotiable-an-identity-you-have-achieved-by-agreement/) [M. John Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-john-harrison/) > [I am formally accountable to the steering board of the PIC, and I meet with nine ambassadors from the PIC every week. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/i-am-formally-accountable-to-the-steering-board-of-the-pic-and-i-meet/) [Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/) > [Because countries often have differing political and economic systems, agreements are needed to protect those invested in trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/because-countries-often-have-differing-political-and-economic-systems/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [As long as I sit at Henry Clay's desk, I will remember his lifelong desire to forge agreement, but I will also keep close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/as-long-as-i-sit-at-henry-clay-s-desk-i-will-remember-his-lifelong/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Gaia's main problems are not industrialization, ozone depletion, overpopulation, or resource depletion. Gaia's main problem is the lack of mutual understanding and mutual agreement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/gaia-s-main-problems-are-not-industrialization-ozone-depletion/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [We recognize that NAFTA is a three-country agreement, and we need a three-country negotiation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/we-recognize-that-nafta-is-a-three-country-agreement-and-we-need-a/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [At Ohio State University, to avoid being guilty of 'sexual assault' or 'sexual violence,' you and your partner now apparently have to agree on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/at-ohio-state-university-to-avoid-being-guilty-of-sexual-assault-or/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Whatever you perceive, you always make a story with yourself as the main character, and that dictates your life. Then when you read 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/whatever-you-perceive-you-always-make-a-story-with-yourself-as-the/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [ Look at what I am proposing, and we \[wih Bernie Sanders\] have a vigorous agreement here. We both want to reign in the excesses… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/look-at-what-i-am-proposing-and-we-wih-bernie-sanders-have-a-vigorous/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I spoke on the phone with President Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The two of us discussed our ongoing efforts to reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-spoke-on-the-phone-with-president-rouhani-of-the-islamic-republic/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Netanyahu made all sorts of claims. This was going to be a terrible deal. This was going to result in Iran getting 50 billion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/netanyahu-made-all-sorts-of-claims-this-was-going-to-be-a-terrible/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Browse all 1,138 Agreement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agreement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A preliminary agreement in principle is not a deal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Krystal Ball" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/a-preliminary-agreement-in-principle-is-not-a-deal/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agreement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/a-preliminary-agreement-in-principle-is-not-a-deal/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/krystal-ball-11862_agreement_a-preliminary-agreement-in-principle-is_1209012.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/krystal-ball-11862_agreement_a-preliminary-agreement-in-principle-is_1209012.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/krystal-ball-11862_agreement_a-preliminary-agreement-in-principle-is_1209012.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A preliminary agreement in principle is not a deal.” — Krystal Ball", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Krystal Ball", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A preliminary agreement in principle is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/a-preliminary-agreement-in-principle-is-not-a-deal/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/a-preliminary-agreement-in-principle-is-not-a-deal/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```