bargaining chip
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of bargaining chip
First recorded in 1970–75
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Others, including Thaler, said the country’s leaders could use elections as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with the U.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
The company could get aggressive at these auctions by not only collecting spectrum as a potential bargaining chip, but also by bidding up prices and raising the cost of business for its rivals, Zhu noted.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 25, 2026
Lilly also cautioned that the decision to return US alcohol back on the shelves ultimately rests with the provinces, not the Carney government, making it an unpredictable bargaining chip.
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
Other analysts said the matter could be a bargaining chip between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US counterpart Donald Trump at upcoming talks.
From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026
“I won’t have that kind of bargaining chip in your possession.”
From "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
