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
There are still all kinds of interesting creative choices and trade-offs that affect the overall sense of immersion in a film world.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 27 Dec. 2025
On the ice, the trade-offs were more lopsided.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 25 Dec. 2025
Conventional optics typically force trade-offs between resolution, field of view, and distance from the object.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025
Consider a lower metal tier but understand the trade-off.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trade-off
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Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 27 Dec. 2025
On the ice, the trade-offs were more lopsided.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 25 Dec. 2025
Conventional optics typically force trade-offs between resolution, field of view, and distance from the object.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025
Consider a lower metal tier but understand the trade-off.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 20 Dec. 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 29 Dec. 2025.
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