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
Synonyms
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
How large the effects are in each case is a subject of debate; the magnitude clearly influences assessments of trade-offs.
—Joseph E. Stiglitz, Fortune, 12 May 2024
Any aspirations to fix its public finances have dissipated as part of trade-offs inherent in a fragile political setup.
—Craig Stirling, Fortune Europe, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for trade-off 
Joseph E. Stiglitz, Fortune, 12 May 2024
Any aspirations to fix its public finances have dissipated as part of trade-offs inherent in a fragile political setup.
—Craig Stirling, Fortune Europe, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for trade-off
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trade-off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near trade-off
Cite this Entry
“Trade-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade-off. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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