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
If the error rate is 6 percent or higher, states would be subject to a sliding scale that could see their share of allotments rise to a range of between 15 percent and 25 percent.
—
Aris Folley, The Hill, 26 May 2025
Finishing top will bring in the region of €10m, with a sliding scale of merit payments all the way down to 36th.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
The United States should thus build its sanctions relief framework on a sliding scale that ties relief to domestic enrichment restrictions.
—Richard Nephew, Foreign Affairs, 26 May 2025
If the error rate is 6 percent or higher, states would be subject to a sliding scale that could see its share of allotments rise to a range of between 15 percent and 25 percent.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sliding scale
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Aris Folley, The Hill, 26 May 2025
Finishing top will bring in the region of €10m, with a sliding scale of merit payments all the way down to 36th.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
The United States should thus build its sanctions relief framework on a sliding scale that ties relief to domestic enrichment restrictions.
—Richard Nephew, Foreign Affairs, 26 May 2025
If the error rate is 6 percent or higher, states would be subject to a sliding scale that could see its share of allotments rise to a range of between 15 percent and 25 percent.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sliding scale
Cite this Entry
“Sliding scale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sliding%20scale. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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