This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
opportunity cost
[ op-er-too-ni-tee kawst ]
/ ˌɒp ərˈtu nɪ ti ˌkɔst /
See the most commonly confused word associated with trade-off
Save This Word!
This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
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.
COMPARE MEANINGS
Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.
QUIZ
WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?
Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!
Question 1 of 7
Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.
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
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use opportunity cost in a sentence
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