trade-off

noun

ˈtrād-ˌȯf 

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

2

: a giving up of one thing in return for another : exchange

trade off transitive verb

Synonyms of trade-off

• exchange

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 is an important trade-off — this isn't normally a prolific shower. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026

In short, there’s a trade-off between the cost of capital and transparency. — Tzachi Zach, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026

The trade-off could be a riskier loan or a much bigger upfront payment. — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

The acquisition comes at a time when high food prices are forcing consumers to make economic trade-offs at the grocery store. — Carson Hartzog, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for trade-off

• cerenkov
• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff

Kids Definition

trade-off

noun

ˈtrād-ˌȯf

1

: a balancing of things all of which cannot be had at the same time

2

: a giving up of one thing in return for another