opportunity cost
noun/ˌɒpəˈtjuːnəti kɒst/
/ˌɑːpərˈtuːnəti kɔːst/
[countable, uncountable]- the fact that when you choose one option, you lose the potential benefits of the other options
- There may be an opportunity cost to not having your money invested elsewhere.
- Consider the opportunity cost of accepting a job because you are, by default, rejecting everything else out there.
- The programme lost money when opportunity costs were taken into account.
- We need to consider the opportunity cost represented by lost capacity at closed plants.
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opportunity cost