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

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Will teams push to use them as more of a bargaining chip to reduce the term or salary? Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026 Within that context, Saab’s extradition has emerged as a potential bargaining chip. Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2026 Iran, which controls the northern side of the strait and can block any traversing ships, has previously used the waterway as a political bargaining chip amid tensions. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 5 Mar. 2026 The senator went on to say voter rolls were used as a bargaining chip for ICE withdrawals in Minneapolis. Irene Wright, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bargaining chip

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“Bargaining chip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bargaining%20chip. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

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