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• trade-off
  trade-off

  noun

  the exchange of one thing for another of more or less equal value, especially to effect a compromise.
• trade off
  trade off

  Exchange one thing for another, especially as a compromise. For example, They were willing to trade off some vacation for the freedom to work flexible hours. This idiom gave rise to tradeoff for “an exchange.” [First half of 1800s]

trade-off

American  

[treyd-awf, -of] / ˈtreɪdˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

Or tradeoff

noun

1. the exchange of one thing for another of more or less equal value, especially to effect a compromise.

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trade-off British  

noun

1. an exchange, esp as a compromise

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trade off Idioms  

1. Exchange one thing for another, especially as a compromise. For example, They were willing to trade off some vacation for the freedom to work flexible hours. This idiom gave rise to tradeoff for “an exchange.” [First half of 1800s]

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Usage

What is a trade-off? A trade-off is an exchange of one thing for another. A trade-off can be literal, involving physical items, like in a lunch trade-off, where you get your friend’s lunch and they get yours. A trade-off can also be figurative, as when you have to stay home because you’re sick but the trade-off is you get to stay in bed all day. In this sense, a trade-off is a kind of compromise. Example: The big trade-off to running a marathon is getting to eat a lot of pasta!

Etymology

Origin of trade-off

First recorded in 1960–65; noun use of verb phrase trade off

Compare meaning

How does trade-off compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• trade-off vs. opportunity cost

Explanation

A trade-off is a kind of compromise that involves giving up something in return for getting something else. When looking you for an after-school job, you might have to make a trade-off: a lower hourly wage for a more convenient location, for example. There are all kinds of trade-offs: one trade-off might be buying a new laptop that's very lightweight and portable but doesn't have as much memory as you wish it had. In economics, a trade-off is defined as an "opportunity cost." For example, you might take a day off work to go to a concert, gaining the opportunity of seeing your favorite band, while losing a day's wages as the cost for that opportunity.

Example Sentences

The unpleasant part of that trade-off is already happening here; most major U.S. airlines moved in April to increase baggage fees as the price of oil was beginning to exert itself on fares.

From Slate • May 12, 2026

Precision–recall analysis examines a similar trade-off, asking how accurate the system’s alerts are relative to the number of incidents it successfully detects.

From Salon • May 12, 2026

For those who are risk averse, Dywer says she often recommends a balanced portfolio of 50% stocks and 50% bonds, which has historically produced a terrific trade-off between long-term returns and shorter-term volatility.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

This trade-off is valuable when telescope time is limited and follow-up observations must be carefully chosen.

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026

The trade-off was that the highway route was so much longer that choosing it would greatly increase our chances of a forced touchdown.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• accommodation
• accord
• adjustment
• arrangement
• bargain
• concession
• deal
• pact
• settlement
• understanding