Word
wildcard
Phoneticswild·card, stress on the first syllable
/ˈwaɪɫdˌkɑɹd/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person or thing that is unpredictable and could change the result of a situation. In computing, it is a symbol like * that can represent any character.
n. an unpredictable factor or person whose influence on a situation is difficult to estimate. In computing, refers to a character that can be substituted for any other character or sequence of characters in a search.
Examples
“The new player is a wildcard who could win the game for us.”
“The weather remains the ultimate wildcard for the outdoor festival, as a sudden storm could force a total cancellation.”
“In the final weeks of the campaign, the third-party candidate emerged as a wildcard, potentially siphoning enough votes from the frontrunner to swing the entire election.”
Examples
simple
“The new player is a wildcard who could win the game for us.”
contextual
“The weather remains the ultimate wildcard for the outdoor festival, as a sudden storm could force a total cancellation.”
complex
“In the final weeks of the campaign, the third-party candidate emerged as a wildcard, potentially siphoning enough votes from the frontrunner to swing the entire election.”
Usage
Often used metaphorically in sports and politics to describe unpredictable participants.
Real-World Examples
“A wildcard search uses a question mark (?) in place of a letter to let the search system fill in the missing letter.” “The manager knows he also has that wildcard of putting me or Fermin [López] there, which is a position I feel comfortable in.” Etymology
From wild + card.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/wildcard