sliding scale

noun

|Updated on: 10 Jun 2018

Definition of sliding scale

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

See sliding scale defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of sliding scale from the Web

Tickets are priced on a sliding scale, from $15 to $100.

— chris foran, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Royal wedding watching, a Pabst street party and more things to do in Milwaukee this weekend," 17 May 2018
Shaw suggests the state create a sliding scale for car registration fees.

— aaron randle and kelsey ryan, kansascity, "Black KC drivers get more tickets than whites. Race is only part of the problem | The Kansas City Star," 20 May 2018
The benefit works on a sliding scale: Minimum of $150 off taxes to a maximum of $1,250 off taxes.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The West Hartford Edition," 8 May 2018
This website maintains a list of San Diego dental clinics that offer services that are free, low-cost or paid on a sliding scale.

— michele parente, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Caregivers: Don't forget senior oral care," 9 May 2018
The centers are open most of the workday and charge based on a sliding scale that corresponds to parental income.

— bryce covert, The New Republic, "A New Deal for Day Care," 1 May 2018
The cost of the camp is based on a sliding scale of annual income.

— julia preszler, BostonGlobe.com, "Summer day camps north of Boston," 12 Apr. 2018
This would create a sliding scale that would somewhat mitigate the cost to users of lesser means.

— alex salkever, Fortune, "Commentary: A Solution to Facebook’s Privacy Mess: Charge the Richest Users," 10 Apr. 2018
Coaches and counselors who have private practices typically charge $100 to $150, but many work on a sliding scale.

— liz weston, latimes.com, "Procrastination can mean estate-planning disaster," 1 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sliding scale.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.