Meanings
alternative the perfect is the enemy of the good
- Insistence on perfection often precludes the opportunity for something worthwhile.
- Insistence on perfection precludes gradual improvement through compromises.
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
A variant of the older the best is the enemy of the good, popularized by Voltaire in French as le mieux est l'ennemi du bien, itself a translation of the Italian proverb il meglio è nemico del bene.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 求全責備 /求全责备
- 求全責備 /求全责备Translations
Esperanto plibono estas malamiko de bono
- plibono estas malamiko de bonoTranslations
French le mieux est l'ennemi du bien
- le mieux est l'ennemi du bienTranslations
German das Bessere ist der Feind des Guten
- das Bessere ist der Feind des GutenTranslations
Italian il meglio è nemico del bene
- il meglio è nemico del beneTranslations
Norwegian Bokmål det beste er det godes verste fiende
- det beste er det godes verste fiendeTranslations
Polish lepsze jest wrogiem dobrego
- lepsze jest wrogiem dobregoTranslations
Vietnamese cầu toàn trách bị
- cầu toàn trách bịTranslations
Cite this entry
perfect is the enemy of good. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/perfect%20is%20the%20enemy%20of%20good
“perfect is the enemy of good.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/perfect%20is%20the%20enemy%20of%20good. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “perfect is the enemy of good,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/perfect%20is%20the%20enemy%20of%20good.
Source: perfect is the enemy of good on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.