1
: a balancing of factors all of which are not attainable at the same time
the education versus experience trade-off which governs personnel practices—
H. S. White
H. S. White2
: a giving up of one thing in return for another : exchange
trade off
transitive verb
Synonyms
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
How large the effects are in each case is a subject of debate; the magnitude clearly influences assessments of trade-offs.
—Joseph E. Stiglitz, Fortune, 12 May 2024
Any aspirations to fix its public finances have dissipated as part of trade-offs inherent in a fragile political setup.
—Craig Stirling, Fortune Europe, 9 May 2024
This paradox forced a trade-off for the hunter-gatherers: burn calories searching for food or conserve calories by staying home.
—Stephen Wooding, The Conversation, 1 May 2024
Guinn and others maintain that, with the right planning, the expansion doesn’t have to mirror the trade-offs in the Inland Empire.
—Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have repeatedly rejected a trade-off for an end to the war in return for the hostages’ release, vowing to keep up their campaign until Hamas is destroyed.
—Sam Mednick, TIME, 6 May 2024
The utility monopolies, much as some environmentalists are loath to deal with them, may also be open to trade-offs.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Their batteries are also heavy, which means that electric trucks can come up against weight limits on roads, triggering potential trade-offs between energy and precious cargo.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2024
Free Wix comes with trade-offs, such as ads and limited tools.
—PCMAG, 30 Apr. 2024
Joseph E. Stiglitz, Fortune, 12 May 2024
Any aspirations to fix its public finances have dissipated as part of trade-offs inherent in a fragile political setup.
—Craig Stirling, Fortune Europe, 9 May 2024
This paradox forced a trade-off for the hunter-gatherers: burn calories searching for food or conserve calories by staying home.
—Stephen Wooding, The Conversation, 1 May 2024
Guinn and others maintain that, with the right planning, the expansion doesn’t have to mirror the trade-offs in the Inland Empire.
—Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have repeatedly rejected a trade-off for an end to the war in return for the hostages’ release, vowing to keep up their campaign until Hamas is destroyed.
—Sam Mednick, TIME, 6 May 2024
The utility monopolies, much as some environmentalists are loath to deal with them, may also be open to trade-offs.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Their batteries are also heavy, which means that electric trucks can come up against weight limits on roads, triggering potential trade-offs between energy and precious cargo.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2024
Free Wix comes with trade-offs, such as ads and limited tools.
—PCMAG, 30 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trade-off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near trade-off
Cite this Entry
“Trade-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade-off. Accessed 22 May. 2024.
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