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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Recent Examples of trade-off
That might sound intimidating to some, but many find that the freedom and perspective this lifestyle offers are well worth the trade-offs.
—
Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2025
For many high achievers, the pursuit of success often comes with trade-offs: family time is cut short, personal health is sidelined, and relationships are strained under the pressure of professional demands.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025
The trade-off will cut more than $1 trillion over a decade from federal health care and food assistance, largely by imposing work requirements on those receiving aid and by shifting certain federal costs onto the states.
—Lisa Mascaro, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2025
This seems to be a trade-off to accommodate the TV's more unique connector: a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort mounted on the left edge of the screen.
—PC Magazine, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for trade-off
Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2025
For many high achievers, the pursuit of success often comes with trade-offs: family time is cut short, personal health is sidelined, and relationships are strained under the pressure of professional demands.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025
The trade-off will cut more than $1 trillion over a decade from federal health care and food assistance, largely by imposing work requirements on those receiving aid and by shifting certain federal costs onto the states.
—Lisa Mascaro, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2025
This seems to be a trade-off to accommodate the TV's more unique connector: a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort mounted on the left edge of the screen.
—PC Magazine, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for trade-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trade-off
exchange
Noun
-
Between March 2022 and Wei’s arrest in August 2023, the spy allegedly paid Wei thousands of dollars in exchange for photographs and videos of the Essex, information about the location of various Navy ships and details about the Essex’s defensive weapons, according to prosecutors.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Aug. 2025
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American chipmakers Nvidia and AMD agreed to pay the US government 15% of their revenues from semiconductor sales to China in exchange for export licenses.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
12 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trade-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trade-off. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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