necessary evil

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

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Noun

necessary evil (plural necessary evils)

1. (idiomatic) An unfavorable thing that must be done or accepted, especially because the available alternative courses of action or inaction would be worse.

   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.

Translations

unfavorable thing that must be done or accepted

• Chinese:

  Mandarin:必要之惡／必要之恶

• Czech: nutné zlo n
• Danish: nødvendigt onde n
• Dutch: noodzakelijk kwaad n
• Finnish: välttämätön paha
• French: mal nécessaire (fr) m, mal pour un bien m
• German: notwendiges Übel n
• Greek: αναγκαίο κακό n (anagkaío kakó)
• Japanese: 必要悪 (ja) (hitsuyōaku)
• Korean: 필요악(必要惡) (ko) (piryoak)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: nødvendig onde n

• Polish: zło konieczne
• Portuguese: mal necessário m
• Russian: please add this translation if you can
• Spanish: mal necesario (es) m

See also

• you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs