Definitions

1. noun

the act or process of giving up something in return for something else, especially when there is a conflict between two or more goals, interests, or requirements

“The company had to make a tradeoff between reducing costs and investing in research and development.”

2. noun

a situation in which something must be given up or sacrificed in order to achieve something else

“The decision to reduce the number of employees was a difficult tradeoff for the management team.”

3. verb

to make a choice between two or more options, especially when one option is more desirable but has a disadvantage

“The team had to trade off between choosing a more experienced player and a younger player with potential.”