opportunity cost
noun
: the added cost of using resources (as for production or speculative investment) that is the difference between the actual value resulting from such use and that of an alternative (such as another use of the same resources or an investment of equal risk but greater return)
Examples of opportunity cost in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The opportunity cost for writing patents instead of grants was more than 33 times the income realized.
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Joshua M. Pearce, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2025
However, failing to invest in creative capital comes at a cost—an opportunity cost that many industries fail to recognize.
—Shane Savage, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
The opportunity costs are especially striking for Asian elephant conservation: while over a trillion dollars is spent combatting climate change annually, the funds available to address the myriad of problems facing wild Asian elephants are far smaller.
—Nitin Sekar, ArsTechnica, 5 Apr. 2025
Finally, the current Highway Performance Monitoring System represents a potentially significant opportunity cost.
—Mark Pittman, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opportunity cost
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Joshua M. Pearce, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2025
However, failing to invest in creative capital comes at a cost—an opportunity cost that many industries fail to recognize.
—Shane Savage, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
The opportunity costs are especially striking for Asian elephant conservation: while over a trillion dollars is spent combatting climate change annually, the funds available to address the myriad of problems facing wild Asian elephants are far smaller.
—Nitin Sekar, ArsTechnica, 5 Apr. 2025
Finally, the current Highway Performance Monitoring System represents a potentially significant opportunity cost.
—Mark Pittman, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opportunity cost
Cite this Entry
“Opportunity cost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunity%20cost. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
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