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

Enrollment is on a sliding scale — anywhere from $90-$280 a year — and each troop has three adult volunteer leaders who get trained on the curriculum, facilitate meetings and communicate with parents. —Kamren Curiel, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026

Most nonprofits offer classes, reviews or sliding scales for people in financial distress. —Harlan Vaughn, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2026

But there has historically been a sliding scale of qualifying expertise, says former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino. —Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 20 Mar. 2026

Families generally pay the rest of their child care center costs on a sliding scale. —Beth Kania-Gosche, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 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