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
This feels very much like the trade-off in using Android.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Labels bring clarity which can make trade-offs easier.
—Bruce Helmer, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
Some technology geeks may indeed be attracted to these features, though there are trade-offs here, and steep ones, as many normies will also find these features absolutely infuriating.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
However, the trade-off is the superior aesthetics and seamless integration into a building’s design.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trade-off
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Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Labels bring clarity which can make trade-offs easier.
—Bruce Helmer, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
Some technology geeks may indeed be attracted to these features, though there are trade-offs here, and steep ones, as many normies will also find these features absolutely infuriating.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
However, the trade-off is the superior aesthetics and seamless integration into a building’s design.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 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 17 Sep. 2025.
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