Synonyms of trade-off

trade-off

noun

ˈtrād-ˌȯf 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• exchange
• swap
• trade
• deal
• back-and-forth
• bargain
• bargaining
• commutation
• barter
• substitution
• dealing
• truck
• replacement
• negotiation
• transaction
• quid pro quo
• dicker
• reciprocation
• recompense
• haggling
• dickering
• horse trade
• horse trading
• logrolling
• requital

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of trade-off

The stories address issues including housing insecurity, access to childcare and the trade-offs people make to stay in the Yampa Valley or the circumstances that lead them to leave. — CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026

The first option describes a technology project, whereas the second identifies the decision, the trade-off, the owner and the measure of success. — Igor Rikalo, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Regeneration trade-offs If some animals can regenerate their limbs, why can’t humans regenerate an arm or leg? — Junsu Kang, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026

Those trade-offs are real and agonizing, said Elizabeth Grace Matthew in USA Today. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026