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.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam addressed Iran's leaders in frank terms during a press conference, saying: "Have mercy on our south, stop treating it and its people as merely a bargaining chip."
From Barron's • Jun. 6, 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
The island is much more than a bargaining chip.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
Authorities in China have used rare earths as a bargaining chip.
From Barron's • May 13, 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.
