lesser evil
Preferable bad choice
The lesser evil is the less harmful of two bad options.
When both choices are undesirable, you choose the one that causes less damage: I voted for her as the lesser evil.
The phrase often appears in political contexts where voters feel unenthusiastic about all candidates.
Also appears as the lesser of two evils.
- worseMore unfavorable than before
- dilemmaForced choice between undesirables
- rock and a hard placeSituation with only bad choices
- choiceAct of selecting
- harm reductionMinimizing adverse outcomes pragmatically
mitigating circumstances · trolley problem · compromise · option · satisficing · ethical dilemma · decision · realpolitik · consequentialism · ends justify means · moral culpability · pragmatism · cost-benefit analysis · utilitarianism · politics · Machiavellianism · regrettable · picking
- decisionschoice, make a decision, choices, yes, no
- moral sayingsdo unto others, golden rule, do the right thing, honesty is the best policy, treat others fairly
- tough choicestradeoffs, compromises, sacrifices, work-life balance, needs versus wants
- tradeoffstradeoff, compromise, cost-benefit, risk-reward, give-and-take
- dilemmasdilemma, moral dilemma, ethical dilemma, tough call, crossroads
- rationalizationsdenial, minimizing, deflection, sour grapes, victim blaming
lesser evilgreater good
Collective benefit over personal
highest good · ideal · blessing · win-win · boon
lesser evilbest of both worlds
Having two advantages simultaneously
ideal solution · first choice · dream scenario · no-brainer · silver bullet
evil, less, goodness, lesser, greater, evils, evilness, evildoer, evilly