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
There is also the potential for this to be used as a bargaining chip in the upcoming April negotiations with China.
—
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 5 Jan. 2026
He's used this as a bargaining chip with other foreign leaders.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
In Die Hard, Hart Bochner played Nakatomi exec Harry Ellis, who attempts to play it cool with Gruber, offering McClane as a bargaining chip to save his own life.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
Additionally, after the governor used telework as a bargaining chip during negotiations this summer, unions saw an opportunity to gain traction on a working condition that labor groups previously had little say in.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bargaining chip
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Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 5 Jan. 2026
He's used this as a bargaining chip with other foreign leaders.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
In Die Hard, Hart Bochner played Nakatomi exec Harry Ellis, who attempts to play it cool with Gruber, offering McClane as a bargaining chip to save his own life.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
Additionally, after the governor used telework as a bargaining chip during negotiations this summer, unions saw an opportunity to gain traction on a working condition that labor groups previously had little say in.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bargaining chip
Cite this Entry
“Bargaining chip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bargaining%20chip. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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