trade-off

noun

ˈtrād-ˌȯf How to pronounce trade-off (audio)
Synonyms of trade-off
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

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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
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.
Almost nine months ago, Donut Lab rolled up to CES with the promise of a solid-state battery for electric vehicles free of the usual trade-offs, ready for mass production within a few months, not a few years. — Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026 For many, being told that life is a series of dark trade-offs in a deadly struggle over finite resources does not sound far-fetched at all. — Via Haymarket Books, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026 That trade-off can matter when companies cannot send sensitive data to an outside provider. — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026 Revenue may be holding up even as calendar productivity softens, creating an important trade-off for buyers to consider. — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trade-off

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of trade-off was in 1909

Rhymes for trade-off

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Browse Nearby Words

trade name
trade-off
trade on
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Cite this Entry

“Trade-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade-off. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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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
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