lesser of two evils

1. The somewhat less unpleasant of two poor choices. For example, I'd rather stay home and miss the picnic altogether than run into those nasty people—it's the lesser of two evils. This expression was already a proverb in ancient Greek and appeared in English by the late 1300s. Chaucer used it in Troilus and Cressida.

Example Sentences

“Complicit in the narrative of pacified killings it’s a / Sore sight when you gotta choose / The lesser of two evils either one will prove / That we’re socially in apathy what’s left to lose?”

From Los Angeles Times

That’s why people worry about “wasting” their vote, or end up holding their nose and voting for the lesser of two evils.

From Salon

The Canadian prime minister may accept being the lesser of two evils in Trump's mind, however.

From BBC

But he also should have known—again, from experience—that the U.S. sometimes has to form partnerships with the lesser of two evils.

From Slate

"It's the lesser of two evils for me right now," she said, explaining that she would ultimately cast her ballot for Harris but felt Trump may prove better for small businesses.

From BBC