Make the best of a bad bargain.
Make the best of a bad bargain.
Meaning in plain English
When a choice has already turned out poorly, look for the best workable next step. You may still reduce the loss or recover something useful.
Example
After booking a room too small for a workshop, an organiser negotiates a second session rather than trying to squeeze everyone into the same space.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The bargain represents a commitment that has disappointed. Making the best of it means directing attention to what can still be changed rather than spending all your effort regretting the original decision. You might repair, adapt, renegotiate or find a useful part of the arrangement. The proverb does not say that staying with the bargain is always best. If leaving would prevent further harm, that may be the better response. Its practical value is a forward-looking assessment of the remaining options, including exit, instead of assuming that a past mistake must determine every later choice.
When to use it
Use it when a disappointing commitment still leaves options for reducing the damage.
Keep in mind
Do not confuse salvage with staying indefinitely; leaving a bad arrangement may be the best remaining option.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-03. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 67 · Bargain
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗