bargaining chip

noun

1. something, as a concession or inducement, that can be used in negotiating.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bargaining chip¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

It is thought that the decision was made in part to help Ukraine hold on to part of the Kursk region, to use as a bargaining chip in future negotiations.

From BBC

Use of the missiles, capable of targeting military facilities deep inside Russia, could complicate Russia’s efforts, enabling Ukraine to hold onto this valuable bargaining chip ahead of any possible peace talks next year.

From BBC

All the national leaders try to do is keep their regional or ethnic blocs intact to use as bargaining chips when seeking partnerships and a formula to win national elections.

From BBC

Russia has in the past used foreign national detained in the country as bargaining chips to secure the release of its nationals arrested abroad.

From BBC

Set largely on a French Polynesian island that has become an unlikely bargaining chip in a battle over the future of humanity, the novel shifts across a group of scholars, entrepreneurs, artists and oceanographers.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• leverage