wildcard
2
5.1
- noun
- /ˈwaɪldˌkɑrd/
:
incógnita
- Cat was the wildcard in this situation.
Examples
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Arctic ice melt is a total wildcard in this winter's forecast.
Blog text (13) -
That is a wildcard nobody wants to bet on.
Blog text (16) -
I think a wildcard is the only thing that can save us now.
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The wildcard in this mix is going to be Quarless.
Blog text (19) -
Another wildcard: Kunreuther's research shows that disasters before an election draw more government relief than disasters after an election.
Blog text (11) -
Because now, in the minds of both the prosecution and defense attorneys, you're a wildcard.
Blog text (33) -
By the way, there's a rumor going around that we had a last-minute wildcard.
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However, there is a more-than-substantial wildcard in city races: the 6,366 non-affiliated voters.
Blog text (3) -
Establishment NFFA candidate Minister Edwidge Owens has been losing ground to wildcard Independent candidate Senator Charlie Roan.
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In the final race, she was considered a wildcard, unexpectedly taking the lead and thrilling the crowd.
Synonyms
4
5.0
A person or thing that is unpredictable and can change the result
How Unpredictable
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word wildcard comes from the game idea of a wild card that can be 'anything' and so change the result. So when a person or thing is called a 'wildcard' it means they are unpredictable and can affect the outcome.