Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know
better the devil you know than the devil you don't (know)
proverb When faced with two options, it is better to choose the more familiar one, even if it is undesirable (as the unfamiliar choice could prove even worse in the end). A: "Why don't you just quit your job if you're so miserable?" B: "Who knows if a new job will be any better! Better the devil you know than the devil you don't." Most people just vote for the candidate from their political party because it's what they've done for most of their lives. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know, after all.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know.
Prov. If you have to choose between a familiar but unpleasant situation and an unfamiliar situation, choose the familiar one because the unfamiliar situation may turn out to be worse. Jill: I hate my job so much that I'm thinking of asking for a transfer. Jane: I'd advise against it. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know. Although she was unhappy in her marriage, Donna never considered pursuing romances with other men. "Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know," was her philosophy.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.