necessary evil
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.52 in modern English
21
Scrabble Score
13
Letters
3
Syllables
10
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An unfavorable thing that must be done or accepted, especially because the available alternative courses of action or inaction would be worse.
Example Sentences
- "Another punishing round of chemo is a necessary evil if Lisa is to have a fighting chance against the cancer."
- "My boss is a real piece of work, but my kids make keeping this job a necessary evil."
- "Architecturally the stations of the Tonbridge-Hastings line are of great interest. Wadhurst, Robertsbridge and Stonegate are of simple Italinate^([sic]) style, unspoiled by that necessary evil of a platform awning."
- "But today, with more lineside furniture and infrastructure, the potential for problems to arise is greater. The impact of clearing overgrown greenery is a necessary evil that must be tackled - for a variety of reasons."