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

Example Sentences

"This really looks like a trade-off, prioritizing what's good for the individual cell to stay alive in a stressful environment, at the expense of what the collective tissue should be doing," Tzouanas says.

From Science Daily

The lower rate is worth the trade-off for reducing the exemption.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the trade-off is they can cause serious side effects, including increasing the risk for osteoporosis.

From The Wall Street Journal

Researchers from Google found that models make trade-offs between stipulated pleasure and pain states, giving priority to pain avoidance over rewards in ways that suggest more than mere token prediction.

From The Wall Street Journal

Heading into 2026, however, it feels as if the only asset prices that will reflect that trade-off in equity growth will be found in the precious metals markets.

From Barron's

Related Words

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