the lesser of two evils

/ðə lˈɛsəɹ ɒv tˈuː ˈiːvəlz/

/ðə lˈɛsɚɹ ʌv tˈuː ˈiːvəlz/

[phrase]

[PHRASE]

a choice or option that seems less harmful or unpleasant out of two that one is confronted with

What is the origin of the idiom "the lesser of two evils" and when to use it?

The idiom "the lesser of two evils" can be traced back to ancient Greek philosophy, particularly the works of Aristotle. Aristotle introduced the concept of "choosing the lesser of two evils" as a means of ethical decision-making. However, the exact phrase itself gained popularity in English literature during the 19th century. It was used by various authors and thinkers to describe the act of selecting the option that is perceived to have the least negative consequences when faced with two unfavorable choices.

Examples

1. They understand that the lesser evil is also the only party they have.

2. But this he who remains version is kind of like the immortus version of Kang the final version final boss form most powerful wisest version he's one of the lesser evil versions which he kind of explains during the episode.

3. So if it's the lesser of two evils, ibuprofen certainly is the lesser.

4. but it's actually it might be the lesser of two evils.