sliding scale

noun

1

: a wage scale geared to the selling price of the product or to the consumer price index but usually guaranteeing a minimum below which the wage will not fall

2

a

: a system for raising or lowering tariffs in accord with price changes

b

: a flexible scale (as of fees or subsidies) adjusted to the needs or income of individuals

the sliding scale of medical fees

Examples of sliding scale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That agreement created the ATP Masters 1000 Bonus Pool, which last year accounted for $21 million, distributed between the best performers in those events and the ATP Tour Finals on a sliding scale. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 25 July 2026

Waddingham, for that matter, is a sort of fantastical creature herself, appearing from scene to scene on a sliding scale from glamorous to extremely glamorous. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Knowing this ahead of time can help people budget for end-of-life doula care or find doulas who offer services on a sliding scale. — Jane Callahan, The Conversation, 14 July 2026

Federal law sets a sliding scale for how much money states must pay toward SNAP benefits. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sliding scale

• abigail
• cottontail
• countervail
• fingernail
• martingale
• mesoscale
• microscale
• monorail
• nanoscale
• ponytail
• swallowtail
• wensleydale