trade off
To choose in exchange for something else, where having both at once is not an…To choose (something) in exchange for something else, where having both at once is not an available option.
» Mechanical advantage is a trade-off.
halfb1t · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
2 senses(transitive)To choose (something) in exchange for something else, where having both at once is not an available option.
In the entry-level product category, the engineers had to trade off maximal durability for affordable upfront cost.
(intransitive)To choose among options, where having them all at once is not an available option.
Part of being a competent engineer is knowing how to trade off appropriately among mutually exclusive options, depending on the specified requirements for each design.
Examples
2 sentencesMechanical advantage is a trade-off.
Sometimes trade-offs are made when projects are rushed.
Forms
trades off, trading off, traded off, traded off| Base form | trade off · to trade off |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | trades off |
| Present participle | trading off |
| Past simple | traded off |
| Past participle | traded off |
irregular
Phrasal verbs
5 phrasal verbs- trade upTo gain value on the stock exchange.
- trade offTo choose (something) in exchange for something else, where having both at once is not an available option.
- trade inTo give a piece of merchandise as part of the payment or trade for something new.
- trade downTo lose value on the stock exchange.
- trade awayTo relinquish, to yield.
Word family
6 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Phrasal verbs: introduction — Because it is a phrasal verb
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.