the perfect is the enemy of the good

A form of perfect is the enemy of good — Insistence on perfection often precludes the opportunity for something worthwhile.

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Meanings

proverb
  1. alternativeAlternative form of perfect is the enemy of good.
Cite this entry
APA

the perfect is the enemy of the good. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20perfect%20is%20the%20enemy%20of%20the%20good

MLA

“the perfect is the enemy of the good.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20perfect%20is%20the%20enemy%20of%20the%20good. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the perfect is the enemy of the good,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20perfect%20is%20the%20enemy%20of%20the%20good.

Source: the perfect is the enemy of the good on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.