soft option
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: An easier, less demanding, or more convenient alternative to a more difficult or challenging course of action. It implies choosing a path of less resistance, often to avoid effort, confrontation, or hardship.
Usage
The term "soft option" is used to describe a choice that is deliberately easier. It often carries a negative connotation, suggesting that the person choosing it is avoiding a more responsible, rigorous, or virtuous path. It is commonly used in contexts like education, work, policy-making, and personal decisions.
Examples
- The committee was accused of taking the soft option by delaying the decision instead of tackling the problem directly.
- He chose the demanding science course, refusing to take the soft option of an easier humanities class.
- Some critics argue that community service is seen as a soft option compared to a prison sentence.
Advanced Usage
- "to go for the soft option": This phrasal verb phrase is synonymous with choosing the easy way out.
- Faced with budget cuts, the council went for the soft option of reducing library hours rather than closing facilities entirely.
Variants and Related Words
- Soft (adj): In this context, it means easy, undemanding, or lenient.
- Option (n): A choice or alternative available.
Synonyms
- Easy way out
- Path of least resistance
- Cop-out (informal, stronger negative connotation)
Antonyms
- Hard choice
- Tough option
- Principled stand
Idioms and Phrases
- Take the easy way out: This idiom is very close in meaning to "choose the soft option."
- Quitting the team is just taking the easy way out. You should face the challenge.
Noun
- an easier alternative
- the instructor took the soft option and gave the boy a passing grade