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

David and his firm proposed a contingency fee structure on a sliding scale, starting at one-fifth of any recovery up to $15 million. — Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 18 June 2026

The fair has also instituted lower flat rates for many of their special sectors like Statements and Feature and introduced a sliding scale pricing model for the main Galleries sector, where larger booths pay a higher square-meter rate than smaller booths. — Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 15 June 2026

Wealth management firms have typically set their fees based on an individual's or family's wealth levels, offering a sliding scale based on investible assets. — Robert Frank, CNBC, 9 June 2026

Liquid Glass customization With iOS 27, users have more control over how Liquid Glass appears on devices using a new sliding scale in the Settings app. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 8 June 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