opportunity cost
noun
: the added cost of using resources (as for production or speculative investment) that is the difference between the actual value resulting from such use and that of an alternative (such as another use of the same resources or an investment of equal risk but greater return)
Examples of opportunity cost in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
These programs typically require 12 to 18 months rather than two years, reducing both direct costs and opportunity costs.
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Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Gold also gains appeal when interest rates fall, as lower yields reduce the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
And Putin’s war carries significant opportunity costs for Russia.
—Celeste A. Wallander, Foreign Affairs, 9 Sep. 2025
This is the moment where opportunity costs spike — both in time and in focus.
—Jessica Billingsley, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opportunity cost
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Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Gold also gains appeal when interest rates fall, as lower yields reduce the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
And Putin’s war carries significant opportunity costs for Russia.
—Celeste A. Wallander, Foreign Affairs, 9 Sep. 2025
This is the moment where opportunity costs spike — both in time and in focus.
—Jessica Billingsley, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opportunity cost
Cite this Entry
“Opportunity cost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunity%20cost. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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