lesser of two evils

Idioms  

1. The somewhat less unpleasant of two poor choices. For example, I'd rather stay home and miss the picnic altogether than run into those nasty people—it's the lesser of two evils. This expression was already a proverb in ancient Greek and appeared in English by the late 1300s. Chaucer used it in Troilus and Cressida.

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Example Sentences

"It comes down to choosing the lesser of two evils."

From Barron's • Dec. 20, 2025

"I don't know if I'd say the lesser of two evils, but I think Chile needs a change," Claudio Sanjuez said, "and I clearly think Kast could be that alternative".

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025

“One must choose the lesser of two evils. Who is the lesser of two evils? That lady or that gentleman? I don’t know,” Pope Francis said.

From Salon • Sep. 14, 2024

A contest that somehow boiled down to the lesser of two evils, or streaming services, in which voters ultimately opted for the Apple+ release rather than allowing Netflix’s “Dog” to have its day.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2022

Between Alyssa and me, I am the lesser of two evils behind the wheel.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman