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
Chris Ong, Seatrium’s CEO, sees the Iran conflict sharpening what specialists call the energy trilemma, or the trade-off between energy security, affordable supply, and environmental sustainability.
—
Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
Belavi 9 Foot Aluminum Umbrella Of course, enjoying the outdoor air also comes with the trade-off that you’ll also be exposed to the sun’s bright, hot rays.
—Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2026
The trade-off is less on-road refinement.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
But in a blog post, Sutherland noted the location function came with a security trade-off.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trade-off
Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
Belavi 9 Foot Aluminum Umbrella Of course, enjoying the outdoor air also comes with the trade-off that you’ll also be exposed to the sun’s bright, hot rays.
—Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2026
The trade-off is less on-road refinement.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
But in a blog post, Sutherland noted the location function came with a security trade-off.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trade-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trade-off
exchange
Noun
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Romantic Venus sextiles dreamy Neptune, softening conversations and opening space for empathy, imagination, and meaningful exchange.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
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Minutes earlier, Kelsy took advantage of an uncharacteristically lax exchange, blindsiding Jeppe Tverskov to take possession and create an instant breakaway opportunity.—
Ryan Finley,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trade-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trade-off. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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