faute de mieux

[ foht duh myœ ]

adverb

, French.

1. for lack of something better.

faute de mieux

/ fot də mjø; ˌfəʊt də ˈmjɜː /

(no translation)

1. for lack of anything better

Word History and Origins

Origin of faute de mieux¹

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

“Nancy was an independent career woman who wrote wonderful books, but one of her sisters said to me, ‘Faute de mieux — much better to have a husband and children,’” Thompson said.

From New York Times

They include bigly, deplorable, irregardless, icon, assumpsit, faute de mieux, in omnia paratus, revenant and feckless.

From Seattle Times

And she sent readers on a dictionary search and set a French phrase trending online with this: “When a State severely limits access to safe and legal procedures, women in desperate circumstances may resort to unlicensed rogue practitioners, faute de mieux, at great risk to their health and safety.”

From Washington Post

When a state severely limits access to safe and legal procedures, women in desperate circumstances may resort to unlicensed rogue practitioners, faute de mieux, at great risk to their health and safety.” 

From Los Angeles Times

Finland emerged as a modern nation state almost faute de mieux: having been annexed from Sweden by Russia, the Grand Duchy of Finland found itself without a Grand Duke following the October Revolution.

From The New Yorker