wiggle room

noun

: leeway, latitude
a contract with wiggle room for further negotiations

Example Sentences

The salesman has some wiggle room to reduce the price of the car. the language of the contract is vague and leaves too much wiggle room
Recent Examples on the Web This sets the conversation off with the assumption that there is always some wiggle room. Becca Stanek, The Week, 27 Apr. 2023 With little to no wiggle room, Barr-Reeve nosed past Northeast Dubois 4-2 in an Indiana high school softball matchup. Indy Star Sports, The Indianapolis Star, 19 Apr. 2023 There’s no wiggle room. Francesca Paris, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2022 But now Democrats have a little more wiggle room. Tori Otten, The New Republic, 7 Dec. 2022 So, consider this a summit puffy with some aerobic wiggle room. Kelly Bastone, Outside Online, 18 Oct. 2022 But there’s not much wiggle room. Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 30 Sep. 2022 There may be some wiggle room, but free agency begins after the final out of the World Series, and teams want a decision before the Aug. 2 trade deadline, which could impact trade decisions. Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY, 8 July 2022 Otherwise, look for a wide toe box with plenty of wiggle room. Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wiggle room.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wiggle room was in 1965

Dictionary Entries Near wiggle room

Cite this Entry

“Wiggle room.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wiggle%20room. Accessed 27 May. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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