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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

It’s a trade-off between longevity and risk tolerance.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

"Exactly as the prime minister says, we need to spend more on defence and do it faster. The challenge for ministers is to make those difficult trade-off decisions," he said.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

“This trade-off between fiscal consolidation and maintaining popularity is the biggest conundrum,” Oxford Economics’ Edward Allenby tells Barron’s.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

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

This painful trade-off is why ecologists argue that any attempt by tropical forest societies to grow beyond small villages has always been doomed to fail.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

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