trade-off

as in exchange
a giving or taking of one thing of value in return for another a trade-off in which a company got a celebrity spokesperson and a fading star got some much-needed cash

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of trade-off Schweit, the retired FBI executive, said trade-offs often have to be made when balancing the amount of investigative effort put into locating hoax callers. Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025 Voters also reject the trade-off of higher consumer prices in exchange for job protection by a wide 21-point margin. Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025 Last-minute deals exist for flexible travelers, but come with trade-offs like limited cabin choices and higher airfare. Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2025 The trade-off is incurring regular income during the year of conversion. Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for trade-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trade-off
exchange
Noun
  • Residents of the apartment complex described 40 to 60 gunshots during the exchange of gunfire.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2025
  • China’s growing interest in winter sports has opened new space its sports and tourism exchanges with countries where skiing is popular.
    Russell Flannery, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Trade-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trade-off. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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