trade-off
/ˈtreɪd ˌɒf/noun★Intermediate
💼Business
formalinformal
a situation where choosing one option means giving up another
There's always a trade-off between cost and quality.
You can buy something cheap, but it may not last long.
The trade-off between privacy and convenience is a common debate.
People often choose convenience over privacy when using apps.
💡
Often used in business, economics, and decision-making contexts.
Collocations
make a trade-offto decide between two optionscost-benefit trade-offweighing the pros and cons
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
give and takephrase
a mutual compromise
cost-benefit analysisphrase
evaluating trade-offs
💡Pro Tip
Common Usage
Use 'trade-off' when discussing choices where one benefit comes at the expense of another.
⚡Gold Rule
Correct Usage
Always use 'trade-off' as a noun, not a verb.
📖Word Origin
From 'trade' (exchange) + 'off' (as in 'give up'), first recorded in the 1960s.
📝Usage Notes
Often used in formal and informal contexts, especially in business and economics.
Word Breakdown
trade
exchange or compromise
rootoff
giving up something
suffixEnglish Dictionary