# fool's bargain

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/fools-bargain
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A bad bargain; one that leaves the person accepting it worse off.

## Examples

- Trading your reliable car for this broken one is a fool's bargain.
- The salesman offered a low price for my house, but I knew it was a fool's bargain.
- By sacrificing his integrity for a temporary promotion, he entered into a fool's bargain that would eventually cost him his professional reputation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.