satisfice
Choose good enough
Satisfice blends satisfy and suffice to describe choosing an option that meets minimum requirements rather than seeking the optimal one.
The term comes from economics and decision theory, where it describes how people actually make choices under constraints of time, information, or cognitive effort.
Rather than exhaustively comparing every possibility, someone who satisfices picks the first acceptable option: I satisficed on the apartment—it's not perfect, but it has what I need.
The concept contrasts with maximizing, which pursues the absolute best outcome.
Practical problem-solving shortcuts
- SimonMasculine given name
- thresholdPoint of beginning
- optimizationMaximizing efficiency or performance
- trade-offsSacrifices for gains
suboptimal · choice · decision-making · constraints · utility · goal-seeking · rules-of-thumb · adaptive
Reach final terms
- compromiseAgreement through mutual sacrifice
- acceptConsent to receive
- toleratePermit without approval
- make-doManage with less
reconcile · concede · trade-off · accommodation · middle-ground · give-and-take · adjustment · resignation
Barely meeting standards
- sufficientMeeting minimum requirements
- workableAble to be implemented
- practicalSuited for real use
- reasonableShowing sound judgment
acceptable · functional · viable · passable · serviceable · expedient · realistic · achievable
heuristics
Practical problem-solving shortcuts
- SimonMasculine given name
- thresholdPoint of beginning
- optimizationMaximizing efficiency or performance
trade-offs · suboptimal · choice · decision-making · constraints · utility · goal-seeking · rules-of-thumb · adaptive · judgment
settle
Reach final terms
- compromiseAgreement through mutual sacrifice
- acceptConsent to receive
- toleratePermit without approval
make-do · reconcile · concede · trade-off · accommodation · middle-ground · give-and-take · adjustment · resignation · acquiesce
adequate
Barely meeting standards
- sufficientMeeting minimum requirements
- workableAble to be implemented
- practicalSuited for real use
reasonable · acceptable · functional · viable · passable · serviceable · expedient · realistic · achievable · attainable
satisficemaximize
Increase to greatest extent
optimize · maximizing · optimizing · analysis paralysis · overthink