English Meaning & Definitions
A situation in which you must choose between or balance two things that are opposite or cannot be had at the same time.
- โThere is a trade-off between the speed of the software and the amount of memory it consumes.โ
- โChoosing a smaller car was a trade-off for better fuel efficiency.โ
To exchange one thing for another, especially as a compromise.
- โCompanies often trade off quality for lower production costs.โ
- โHe decided to trade off his weekends for a higher salary during the week.โ
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for โtrade offโ.
The term originated in the mid-20th century, evolving from the verb phrase 'to trade off,' which meant to exchange one thing for another. It gained prominence in economic and technical contexts to describe the process of balancing competing requirements or qualities, where gaining one benefit necessitates the sacrifice of another.
Think of a 'trade' where you 'off-load' one item to gain another; you can't have both, so you trade one off.
Frequently Asked Questions About โtrade offโ
1. What is the meaning of โtrade offโ in English?
In English, trade off (noun) is defined as: โA situation in which you must choose between or balance two things that are opposite or cannot be had at the same time.โ.
2. How do you use โtrade offโ in a sentence?
โThere is a trade-off between the speed of the software and the amount of memory it consumes.โ
3. What are English synonyms of โtrade offโ?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of โtrade offโ?
The term originated in the mid-20th century, evolving from the verb phrase 'to trade off,' which meant to exchange one thing for another. It gained prominence in economic and technical contexts to describe the process of balancing competing requirements or qualities, where gaining one benefit necessitates the sacrifice of another.
๐ฌ๐งMore English Words to English
View all English words โThe base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.