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
ˈwī(-ə)l(d)-ˌkärd How to pronounce wild card (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Green Bay’s season ended with a 31-27 los s to the rival Chicago Bears in the NFC wild card playoffs, a game in which the Packers surrendered 25 fourth-quarter points after building a 21-3 halftime lead. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026 The Marlins were open to trading closer Peter Fairbanks, but the asking price increased because Fairbanks has pitched well recently and the team entered play Tuesday in the thick of the National League wild card race at 58-55. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Aug. 2026 Among the teams in the hunt for the playoffs, the AL East-leading Rays, NL Central-leading Brewers and wild card contenders in the Cubs, Diamondbacks and Phillies could all use another reliable starter for a postseason push. — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 2 Aug. 2026 Not to mention meaningfully increase their chances of winning a three-game wild card series against Philadelphia. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wild card

Word History

Etymology

wild card, playing card with arbitrarily determined value

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wild card was in 1971

Rhymes for wild card

See All Rhymes for wild card

Browse Nearby Words

wild caraway
wild card
wild carrot
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wild card.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wild%20card. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on wild card

Nglish: Translation of wild card for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wild card

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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