trade off
A 'trade off' involves a choice where gaining one benefit requires sacrificing another, often used in economics and decision-making contexts.
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Definition
B2General
(common)A situation where gaining one advantage requires giving up another.
Example
- There is often a trade off between quality and cost in manufacturing.
- Choosing to work more hours usually involves a trade off with personal time.
C1Economics
(technical)The loss of one benefit in order to gain another, known as opportunity cost.
Example
- Investors must consider the trade off between risk and return.
- The trade off in choosing to fund public projects over private initiatives is a key policy debate.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "trade off":