What Does "NDA" Mean?
NDA is short for non-disclosure agreement — a contract in which one or more parties agree not to share specified confidential information with outside parties. You'll see the abbreviation used constantly in business emails, term sheets, and negotiations, often before anyone spells out the full term.
How Is "NDA" Used in a Sentence?
In everyday business language, "NDA" is used as a noun and sometimes informally as shorthand for the whole process of getting one signed:
- "Can you send over an NDA before we share the roadmap?"
- "We're still waiting on legal to countersign the NDA."
- "Let's NDA this conversation first" (informal shorthand for "let's put an NDA in place").
NDA vs. Related Terms
| Term | How it relates to NDA |
|---|---|
| Confidentiality agreement | Used interchangeably with NDA in most business contexts; same legal purpose, different label preference. |
| Mutual NDA | A specific type of NDA where both parties disclose and protect each other's information. |
| CDA (confidential disclosure agreement) | Another common label for the same type of agreement, seen more often in technical and research contexts. |
Want the Full Breakdown?
This page covers the abbreviation itself. For NDA types, key clauses to check before signing, and how contract lifecycle management keeps NDAs organized, see What Is an NDA? Non-Disclosure Agreement Explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NDA the same thing as a confidentiality agreement?
In practice, yes. "NDA" and "confidentiality agreement" are used interchangeably in most business contexts, though some organizations use "confidentiality agreement" for internal employee policies and "NDA" for external counterparties.
Is NDA an acronym or an abbreviation?
NDA is an initialism, pronounced letter by letter, standing for non-disclosure agreement. It's used both as a noun ("send over an NDA") and informally as a verb ("let's NDA this first").
Do I need a lawyer to sign an NDA?
Not always for a standard, narrow NDA, but legal review is worthwhile when the agreement covers trade secrets, unusually long survival terms, or one-sided remedies. See the full NDA guide for what to check before signing.
This glossary entry provides general information, not legal advice.