wild card
noun
1
: an unknown or unpredictable factor
2
: one picked to fill a leftover playoff or tournament berth after regularly qualifying competitors have all been determined
3
usually wildcard
: a symbol (such as ? or *) used in a keyword database search to represent the presence of zero, one, or more than one unspecified characters
Examples of wild card in a Sentence
The joker is a wild card.
Taxes are the wild card in this election.
The team made it into the play-offs as the wild card.
Recent Examples on the Web
Winning the franchise’s fourth wild card in six years is the team’s most realistic path to the postseason, and the Padres have fared well against fellow wild-card candidates.
—
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025
Flowing pleated pants have been a wild card for casual looks.
—Michel Mejía, Glamour, 1 June 2025
But in order to make the most of a 2025 season that is showing potential for their first National League Central title since 2017 and first postseason appearance since the 2020 wild card series, the Cubs are going to have to address some of the emerging needs on the roster.
—Jared Wyllys, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
The real wild card here is Jett Luchanko, the 2024 first-round pick who may or may not be NHL-ready.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wild card
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025
Flowing pleated pants have been a wild card for casual looks.
—Michel Mejía, Glamour, 1 June 2025
But in order to make the most of a 2025 season that is showing potential for their first National League Central title since 2017 and first postseason appearance since the 2020 wild card series, the Cubs are going to have to address some of the emerging needs on the roster.
—Jared Wyllys, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
The real wild card here is Jett Luchanko, the 2024 first-round pick who may or may not be NHL-ready.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for wild card
Cite this Entry
“Wild card.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wild%20card. Accessed 8 Jun. 2025.
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