a necessary evil

Also found in: Acronyms.

necessary evil

Something bad that must exist or occur in order for something good to happen. These days, student loans are a necessary evil in order to get an education that leads to a well-paying job. Some view dictators as a necessary evil who keep the region stable by suppressing more radical elements.

See also: evil, necessary

a necessary evil

COMMON If you describe something as a necessary evil, you mean that although it is unpleasant, it is needed. He viewed war as a necessary evil. Managers sometimes think that training is a necessary evil that has to be done but is too expensive.

See also: evil, necessary

a necessary evil

something that is undesirable but must be accepted.

1997 Internet World Advertising may be a necessary evil. After all, someone has to support Internet ventures.

See also: evil, necessary

a ˌnecessary ˈevil

a thing that is unpleasant or even harmful, but which must be accepted because it brings some benefit: Injections against tropical illnesses are a necessary evil when you are planning to travel to that part of the world. ♢ I suppose all these security measures are a necessary evil.

See also: evil, necessary

References in classic literature ?

The smallness of the army renders the natural strength of the community an overmatch for it; and the citizens, not habituated to look up to the military power for protection, or to submit to its oppressions, neither love nor fear the soldiery; they view them with a spirit of jealous acquiescence in a necessary evil, and stand ready to resist a power which they suppose may be exerted to the prejudice of their rights.

View in context

you know a chaperone is a necessary evil," he objected.

View in context

The vertical-colossus-underwriter was seen as little more than a necessary evil.

Getting to horizontal: The 20th-century life underwriter often slowed down the process of an application or stopped it altogether. The new underwriter will become more of a team player. (Life/Health: Underwriting Insight)

This amorphous group of political and intellectual figures shares what Wills thinks to be the misguided belief that "government, as a necessary evil, should be kept at a minimum; and that legitimate social activity should be provincial, amateur, authentic, spontaneous, candid, homogenous, traditional, popular, rights-oriented, religious, voluntary, participatory, and rotational.

Unfortunately A Necessary Evil is shot through with major errors, especially a pair of key blunders that undermines its assault on free markets and limited government.

Assault with Blunt History

Although information security executives now regularly participate in strategic discussions with senior level management, many organizations still view information security as a necessary evil.

Survey of Information Security Executives Reveal Organizations Losing Ground Against Growing Risks; Security Still Viewed as Necessary Evil Despite Increased Attention by Management