bargaining chip

noun

: something that can be used to gain an advantage when trying to make a deal or an agreement
The workers used the threat of a strike as a bargaining chip in their negotiations.

Examples of bargaining chip in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Amid the tariff debates in March, Trump again attempted to use the annexing notion as a bargaining chip. Callum Sutherland, Time, 25 June 2025 Initially, Trump had planned to use the TikTok deal as a bargaining chip, but the tit-for-tat retaliations between the US and China all spring reportedly left China hesitant to agree to any deal. ArsTechnica, 18 June 2025 The implication was clear: The treaty could become a bargaining chip in a broader negotiation to remake the relationship between the two countries. Karen Weise, New York Times, 13 May 2025 Iran perceives that Russia has previously used it as a bargaining chip in its dealings with the United States, ready to throw it aside when convenient. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bargaining chip

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bargaining chip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bargaining%20chip. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!