ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Lesser of two evils

Have you ever been asked to choose between two things that you don't like? Maybe you were asked to pick between eating broccoli or spinach, and you don't really like either one. That's sort of what it's like to choose the "lesser of two evils."

Sometimes, grown-ups have to make tough decisions where they don't really like any of the options. It's like picking between getting a shot at the doctor's office or having a tooth pulled at the dentist - both choices are bad, but one might be a little bit better than the other.

When people say they have to choose the "lesser of two evils," it usually means that they have to pick between two things that they don't really want. Neither of the choices are good, but one might be a little bit better, or a little bit less bad, than the other.

For example, if you had a choice between going to bed really early or not going to bed at all, going to bed really early might be the "lesser of two evils." You might not really want to go to bed early, but it's better than not getting any sleep at all.

Sometimes, when people say they have to choose the "lesser of two evils," they mean they have to choose between two people or groups that they don't like very much. They might not agree with everything one person says or does, but they might think that person is better than the other person who they disagree with even more.

So, choosing the "lesser of two evils" means picking between two things that might not be great, but trying to pick the one that's a little bit better than the other.