a necessary evil

Frequency: 8.018.5 per million words

Something unpleasant that must be accepted in order to achieve a desired result.

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Examples (10)

Many people view taxes as a necessary evil to fund public services.
The strict security measures at the airport are a necessary evil to ensure passenger safety.
For the team to succeed, firing the underperforming manager was considered a necessary evil.
He calls war a necessary evil, a terrible means to a hopefully peaceful end.
End-of-semester exams are often seen by students as a necessary evil.
The noisy and disruptive construction project is a necessary evil for improving the city's infrastructure.
For an actor, endless auditions can feel like a necessary evil on the path to landing a role.
Some argue that a certain level of bureaucracy is a necessary evil in any large organization.
The painful dental procedure was a necessary evil to prevent a more serious infection.
While I dislike it, daily exercise is a necessary evil for maintaining good health.