# perfect is the enemy of good

> English word · Proverb

## Definitions
1. Insistence on perfection often precludes the opportunity for something worthwhile.
2. Insistence on perfection precludes gradual improvement through compromises.

## Etymology
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.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/perfect-is-the-enemy-of-good