1
: a balancing of factors all of which are not attainable at the same time
Governments face a trade-off between privacy and increasing the effectiveness of tax collection.—
Ricardo Perez-Truglia and Ugo Troiano
Ricardo Perez-Truglia and Ugo Troiano2
: a giving up of one thing in return for another : exchange
trade off
transitive verb
Examples of trade-off in a Sentence
a trade-off in which a company got a celebrity spokesperson and a fading star got some much-needed cash
Recent Examples on the Web
For people in the 62-to-70 age range, this trade-off is particularly important.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 18 Mar. 2026
There is, of course, a trade-off.
—Jamie Thilman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026
The government shows no willingness to confront voters with the fiscal trade-offs that come with higher spending.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 15 Mar. 2026
Most good people, who manage these trade-offs with compassion and skill, are creatures of fragile equilibria.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trade-off
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Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 18 Mar. 2026
There is, of course, a trade-off.
—Jamie Thilman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026
The government shows no willingness to confront voters with the fiscal trade-offs that come with higher spending.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 15 Mar. 2026
Most good people, who manage these trade-offs with compassion and skill, are creatures of fragile equilibria.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trade-off
Cite this Entry
“Trade-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade-off. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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