lesser evil
collocation in Englishmeaningsoflesserandevil
These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withevil.
lesser
adjective[before noun]
uk/ˈles.ər/us/ˈles.ɚ/
used to describe something that is not as great in size, amount, or importance as ...
See more atlesser
evil
noun[C or U]
uk/ˈiː.vəl/us/ˈiː.vəl/
something that is very bad ...
See more atevil
(Definition oflesserandevilfrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)
Examplesoflesser evil
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
But there is a cost, even if it is sometimes thelesserevil.
From theCambridge English Corpus
However, war is sometimes thelesserevil.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is only alesserevil.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That, however, is thelesserevil.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It apparently can matter whether thelesserevilis directly or indirectly caused, by, for example, turning the trolley.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Does thelesserevilof the one being hit in this case produce the greater good, or just sustain it?
From theCambridge English Corpus
Polish women did not suspect that their own foe might appear as liberator, friend orlesserevilto their neighbors.
From theCambridge English Corpus
I do not think that war is thelesserevil.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I have no doubt that this was alesserevil.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is only to be commended as thelesserevil.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That is the choice of thelesserevil.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
This allows us to say that thelesserevildoesn't actually produce the greater good, but rather only sustains it, by defeating defeaters to it.
From theCambridge English Corpus
This is in contrast to the transplant case, in which the means that causes thelesserevilalso causes the greater good.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Here the greater good of their being out of harm's way would directly, not indirectly, cause thelesserevil, yet it would be permissible to act.
From theCambridge English Corpus
In these circumstances, war or the use of armed force may be alesserevil.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
They rely on the philosophical argument of alesserevilfor a greater good.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It may be that the means are difficult, but they are thelesserevil.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Queues, we are told, are not detestable—they are only alesserevil.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
One can ponder it sensibly only by engaging a "greater good orlesserevil" approach.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Many teachers have supported the idea of a review body as alesserevil.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
This improvement is alesserevilthat must not cause us to forget the basic question.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
Of the two, we say that the former is thelesserevil.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I do not wish to be regarded as alesserevil.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition oflesser
Go to the definition ofevil
See other collocations withevil