- [countable] an agreement made between two people or groups in which each side gives up some of the things they want so that both sides are happy at the end
- After lengthy talks the two sides finally reached a compromise.
- In any relationship, you have to make compromises.
- a compromise solution/agreement/candidate
Extra ExamplesTopics Discussion and agreementc1- After much discussion, she offered a compromise.
- He might be an attractive compromise candidate if both sides' first choices are rejected.
- I'm not making any more compromises.
- It is best to try to seek a compromise rather than a perfect solution.
- They came to a compromise over the exact amount to be paid.
- They're still trying to work out an acceptable compromise.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- acceptable
- fair
- good
- …
- agree on
- arrive at
- come to
- …
- agreement
- deal
- formula
- …
- compromise between
- compromise on
- compromise over
- …
Take your English to the next level
The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app
- [countable] compromise (between A and B) a solution to a problem in which two or more things cannot exist together as they are, in which each thing is reduced or changed slightly so that they can exist together
- This model represents the best compromise between price and quality.
- It was a fair compromise between the two sides.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- acceptable
- fair
- good
- …
- agree on
- arrive at
- come to
- …
- agreement
- deal
- formula
- …
- compromise between
- compromise on
- compromise over
- …
- [uncountable] the act of reaching a compromise
- Compromise is an inevitable part of life.
- There is no prospect of compromise in sight.
- There could be no compromise with the nationalists.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- acceptable
- fair
- good
- …
- agree on
- arrive at
- come to
- …
- agreement
- deal
- formula
- …
- compromise between
- compromise on
- compromise over
- …
Word Originlate Middle English (denoting mutual consent to arbitration): from Old French compromis, from late Latin compromissum ‘a consent to arbitration’, neuter past participle of compromittere, from com- ‘together’ + promittere ‘put forth, promise’, from pro- ‘forward’ + mittere ‘send’.
Check pronunciation:
compromise