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necessary evil

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

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.

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Submitted on July 07, 2010

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nécessairement diabolique

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to necessary evil

evil twinthree wise monkeys, see no evil, hear n…sufficient unto the day is the evil the…evil twin

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