opportunity cost

[ op-er-too-ni-tee kawst ]

/ ˌɒp ərˈtu nɪ ti ˌkɔst /

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noun Economics.

the money or other benefits lost when pursuing a particular course of action instead of a mutually-exclusive alternative: The company cannot afford the opportunity cost attached to policy decisions made by the current CEO.

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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

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Origin of opportunity cost

First recorded in 1910–15

Words nearby opportunity cost

opportunism, opportunist, opportunistic, opportunistic infection, opportunity, opportunity cost, opportunity shop, opposable, opposable thumb, oppose, opposed

How to use opportunity cost in a sentence

They actually also say that how you judge the value of what you’re doing is not only based on what you’re doing, but it’s also based on opportunity cost.
Am I Boring You? (Ep. 225 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|February 25, 2021|Freakonomics
Because there’s a significant opportunity cost of not asking such questions.
Can I Ask You a Ridiculously Personal Question? (Ep. 451)|Stephen J. Dubner|February 11, 2021|Freakonomics
Just think of all the opportunity cost of decreasing that novelty-seeking.
Why Do We Seek Comfort in the Familiar? (Ep. 445)|Stephen J. Dubner|December 24, 2020|Freakonomics
When they have the alerts on, they start thinking about the opportunity cost of that leisure.
How to Stop Feeling Crushed for Time - Issue 92: Frontiers|Brian Gallagher|October 28, 2020|Nautilus

On the other hand, if we think about it economically, you think about opportunity costs.
The Prime Minister Who Cried Brexit (Ep. 392)|Stephen J. Dubner|October 10, 2019|Freakonomics
First, the opportunity cost of the conflict, which is not widely appreciated.
Israelis and Palestinians: Getting Down To Business|Bernard Avishai|June 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
One would think Israelis would understand the opportunity cost, and moral hazard, of denying these things to Palestinians.
The West Bank Through Chinese Eyes|Bernard Avishai|March 19, 2012|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for opportunity cost

opportunity cost

noun

economics the benefit that could have been gained from an alternative use of the same resource

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012