1
Identify trade-off
Show that one gain requires another loss.
Example
Faster production came at the expense of quality.
come at the expense of
/ˌkʌm ət ði ɪkˈspɛns əv/ · KUM at thee ik-SPENS uvtrade-off phrase
Be achieved by sacrificing, reducing, or harming something else.
Use come at the expense of to signal this exact relationship between ideas: be achieved by sacrificing, reducing, or harming something else.
What come at the expense of Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Expose hidden cost
Reveal what a benefit displaces or damages.
Example
Expansion should not come at the expense of local habitats.
3
Balance competing goals
State that improvement in one measure weakens another.
Example
Greater precision may come at the expense of speed.
Use come at the expense of Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
Faster production came at the expense of quality.
Expansion should not come at the expense of local habitats.
Greater precision may come at the expense of speed.
Precision Matters
Come at the expense of overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
come at the expense of
vs.Signals be achieved by sacrificing, reducing, or harming something else.
trade-off
Means a balance in which gaining one benefit requires giving up another.
come at the expense of
vs.Signals be achieved by sacrificing, reducing, or harming something else.
contribute to
Means help cause or advance.
come at the expense of
vs.Signals be achieved by sacrificing, reducing, or harming something else.
enhance
Means to improve the quality, value, strength, or effect of something.
come at the expense of
vs.Signals be achieved by sacrificing, reducing, or harming something else.
undermine
Means to weaken, erode, or reduce confidence in something.
Test come at the expense of in Context
The benefit is achieved by sacrificing processing speed.
1
The new filter improves accuracy, but the gain may ___ speed because each sample takes twice as long to process.