Standard Lemma guide

tradeoff

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: T R EY1 D AO2 F Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An advantage or improvement that necessitates the corresponding loss or degradation of something else.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Improved graphics at the expense of battery life was a tradeoff the designers were willing to make.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

an exchange that occurs as a compromise

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I faced a tradeoff between eating and buying my medicine

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: trade-off

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: exchange, interchange

History

Etymology

Deverbal from trade off.