lesser of two evils
18
5.6
- idiom
- Informal
:
mal menor
- In choosing a new job, she realized that taking the role in a smaller company was the lesser of two evils compared to staying in a stressful position.
- choose the lesser of two evils
- vote for the lesser of two evils
- pick the lesser of two evils
And I figure it's the less lesser of two evils to to sit down and piss.
- And I figure it's the less lesser of two evils to to sit down and piss.
- Which brings us to tonight's word, the lesser of two evils.
- But the problem is that being public servants, you need to take decision most of the time between the less of two evils.
Examples
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As my mom says, when you're voting for the lesser of two evils, you're still voting for evil.
Blog text (5) -
We're willing to compromise and settle for always electing the lesser of two evils.
Blog text (6) -
Seems like the lesser of two evils at this point.
-
Sometimes you just... you just have to choose the lesser of two evils.
-
You have to choose the lesser of two evils.
-
Family seemed the lesser of two evils for all of us.
Fiction book (1991) -
I hate to say it, but it really is the lesser of two evils.
Blog text (6) -
Which is why it often comes down to voting for the lesser of two evils.
Blog text (13) -
For many, this election comes down to figuring out the lesser of two evils.
Blog text (7) -
While they find Mubarak uninspiring, they nevertheless side with him against the militants as the lesser of two evils.
Academic text (1993)
Synonyms
1
8.0
The best choice among several bad options
How Harmful
- Informal
18
5.6
1
3.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally combines 'lesser' (smaller/less) with 'two evils' (two bad things), so the meaning — the less harmful of two unpleasant choices — is directly derivable from the constituents and the comparative structure. This construction is cross‑linguistically common (e.g. Spanish 'mal menor', French 'moindre mal') and follows normal English composition, so a B1 learner who knows the words should grasp it.
Etymology
Lesser of two evils paints a clear picture: two bad choices stand before you and you pick the smaller bad one. That's why it means 'the less harmful choice'.