---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes compromise is painful."
description: "\"Sometimes compromise is painful.\" — Madeleine M. Kunin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/madeleine-m-kunin-6984_compromise_sometimes-compromise-is-painful-2261395_2261395.png"
---

#  Sometimes compromise is painful.

![“Sometimes compromise is painful.” quote by Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/madeleine-m-kunin-6984_compromise_sometimes-compromise-is-painful-2261395_2261395.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/madeleine-m-kunin-6984_compromise_sometimes-compromise-is-painful-2261395_2261395.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/madeleine-m-kunin-6984_compromise_sometimes-compromise-is-painful-2261395_2261395.png)

> “Sometimes compromise is painful.”

[Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Compromise often involves personal sacrifice and discomfort, yet it can be necessary for progress.

**In simple terms:** Compromise can hurt but may be needed.

Key Takeaway

Weigh pain against potential benefits.

Themes

politics conflict resolution ethics

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- legislative bargaining
- family disputes
- business mergers
- community agreements
- international treaties

Key Concepts

negotiation trade‑offs collective decision‑making

Questions to Reflect On

- When is compromise justified despite personal cost?
- How can we ensure fairness in compromise?

A Different Perspective

May lead to resentment if not balanced.

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[Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Compromise Painful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise-painful-5204810/) [Negotiation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiation/) [Painful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painful/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/)

## Related quotes

> [A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-erhard/a-compromise-is-the-art-of-dividing-a-cake-in-such-a-way-that/)

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> ["Compromise" means giving up more than the other side is big enough to take; if and when they have the muscle, they'll be back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-knox/compromise-means-giving-up-more-than-the-other-side-is-big-enough-to/)

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> [Marriage is about compromise; it's about doing something for the other person, even when you don't want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/marriage-is-about-compromise-it-s-about-doing-something-for-the-other/)

[Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/)

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[Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/)

> [All compromise is based on give and take, but there can be no give and take on fundamentals. Any compromise on mere fundamentals is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/all-compromise-is-based-on-give-and-take-but-there-can-be-no-give-and/)

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> [Compromise, hell! That's what has happened to us all down the line -- and that's the very cause of our woes. If freedom is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/compromise-hell-that-s-what-has-happened-to-us-all-down-the-line-and/)

[Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/)

> [As a matter of fact, compromise is what oppression feeds on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/as-a-matter-of-fact-compromise-is-what-oppression-feeds-on/)

[Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/)

> [As a politician - particularly as a politician in a coalition - you quickly realise that compromise is a part of the game. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-davey/as-a-politician-particularly-as-a-politician-in-a-coalition-you/)

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[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

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> [“Simple answers, reductionist politics, are the most prone to compromise, to saying we’re addressing the essential issue and all that other stuff can slide.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/simple-answers-reductionist-politics-are-the-most-prone-to-compromise/)

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## More by Madeleine M. Kunin

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[Explore all 96 Madeleine M. Kunin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/)

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