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
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
These insights reflect real-world satisfaction and trade-offs, as there always are with any camera.
—Damian Peach, Space.com, 28 May 2025
One trade-off is that the cup rentals cost race directors more than other options.
—Alexa St. John, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
The Future: Unified Measurement Each approach—attribution, experimentation, modeling, surveys—has trade-offs.
—Rahul Wankhede, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
These operators often must make a trade-off between a lower-cost launch that puts them farther from their satellite's final orbit, or a more expensive launch that can expedite their satellite's entry into service.
—ArsTechnica, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for trade-off
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Damian Peach, Space.com, 28 May 2025
One trade-off is that the cup rentals cost race directors more than other options.
—Alexa St. John, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
The Future: Unified Measurement Each approach—attribution, experimentation, modeling, surveys—has trade-offs.
—Rahul Wankhede, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
These operators often must make a trade-off between a lower-cost launch that puts them farther from their satellite's final orbit, or a more expensive launch that can expedite their satellite's entry into service.
—ArsTechnica, 23 May 2025
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 2 Jun. 2025.
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