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.
Way to use the rest of us as a bargaining chip, Dave.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Few commodity analysts expected the Iran war to last this long, and some were surprised by the use of the Strait of Hormuz as a bargaining chip.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
But there are concerns in Taipei over Washington's commitment after Trump recently suggested arms sales to the island could be a bargaining chip with China.
From Barron's ● Jun. 1, 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
With only a small battery of ICBMs powerful enough to reach the United States, and none of them completely reliable, Khrushchev felt that he needed a much bigger bargaining chip with Kennedy.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
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.
