Sunk cost fallacy

/sʌŋk kɔst ˈfæləsi/ noun

Definition

The tendency to continue investing in a losing proposition because of previously invested resources (time, money, or effort) that cannot be recovered. People make irrational decisions to justify past investments rather than cutting their losses.

Etymology

Coined in economics in the 1970s, combining 'sunk cost' (irrecoverable past expenditure) with 'fallacy' from Latin fallacia meaning deception. The psychological application emerged as behavioral economics developed, showing how emotional attachment to past investments clouds rational decision-making.

Kelly Says

Your brain treats money you've already spent as if it's still in your wallet! This fallacy explains why people stay in bad relationships, continue failing projects, or sit through terrible movies just because they've already invested time or money.

Translations

AMአማርኛ
የጣለው ወጪ ስህተት
yeh-tah-leh weh-chee seh-heet
ARالعربية
وهم التكلفة الغارقة
wahm al-takleefah al-ghaarqah
BNবাংলা
নিমজ্জিত খরচের ভুল
nim-moj-jit khor-cher bhul
CACatalà
error del cost emmers
eh-rohr del koh-st eh-mehr
CSČeština
chyba potopených nákladů
khee-bah poh-toh-peh-nykh nah-koh-lah-doo
DADansk
sunkomkostfejl
sohn-kohm-koh-st fehl
DEDeutsch
Versunkene-Kosten-Fallacy
fehr-soon-keh-nen koh-stehn fah-LEE-see
ELΕλληνικά
παράλειψη βυθισμένων εξόδων
pah-rah-LEE-psi vee-thees-meh-noh ex-oh-DOHN
ESEspañol
falacia del costo hundido
fah-LEE-see-ah del koh-stoh oon-DEE-thoh
FAفارسی
اشتباه هزینه غرق شده
eshtebah hesaab-e gharq shodeh
FISuomi
uppoamiskustannusvirhe
oop-poh-ah-mee-skoo-stah-noos-vee-reh
FRFrançais
illusion des coûts irrécupérables
ee-LOO-zee-ohn koo-teh ee-reh-koo-peh-rah-bluh
GUGU
ડૂબી ગયેલ ખર્ચાની ભૂલ
doobee gayel kharcha-nee bhool
HAHA
kuskure na kudin da aka bata
koo-skoo-reh nah koo-deen dah ah-kah bah-tah
HEעברית
שגיאת עלות טבועה
shah-gee-AHT eh-LOHT tah-BOO-ah
HIहिन्दी
डूबी हुई लागत की भ्रांति
doobee huee laagat kee bhraanti
HUMagyar
elsüllyedt költség téveszme
ehl-sool-yedt kohl-tsehg teh-vehz-meh
IDBahasa Indonesia
kesalahan biaya tenggelam
keh-sah-lah-an bee-ah tahng-geh-lahm
IGIG
ọdịọkpọrọ ọdịnụ nke ọnụahịa
oh-dee-oh-koh-poh-roh oh-dee-noo eh-nyah-ee-ah
ITItaliano
fallacia del costo sommerso
fah-LEE-see-ah del koh-stoh soh-mehr-SOH
JA日本語
沈没費の誤謬
chinbotsuhi no gobi
KKKK
батпанған шығынның қатесі
bah-tahng-an shy-gyn-nyn qah-teh-see
KMKM
កំហុសចំណាយដែលបានលិច
kam-hoos chahm-nay dah bahn lech
MRMR
बुडालेल्या खर्चाची चूक
boo-dah-leh-ly kharcha-chee chook
MSBahasa Melayu
kesalahan perbelanjaan tenggelam
keh-sah-lah-an pehr-beh-lah-nyahn tahng-geh-lahm
MYမြန်မာ
နစ်မြစ်စားနာစား မှားယွင်း
neht myit hsaar nah hsaar mhaar-ywin
NLNederlands
zinkende-kosten-fout
zink-eh-ndeh koh-stehn foh-oot
NONorsk
sunkt kostnad-feil
sohnkt koh-stnahd fehl
PAPA
ਡੁੱਬੇ ਹੋਏ ਖ਼ਰਚੇ ਦੀ ਗ਼ਲਤੀ
dubbay hoe kharchay dee ghalti
PLPolski
błąd kosztu utopionego
bwohnt koh-stoo oo-toh-pee-oh-neh-goh
PTPortuguês
falácia do custo afundado
fah-LEE-see-ah doo koo-stoh ah-foo-NAH-thoh
RORomână
eroarea costului scufundat
eh-roh-ah-reh koh-stoo-lee skoo-foo-nah-t
RUРусский
ошибка затонувших издержек
oh-shib-kuh zah-toh-NOO-vsheh ee-zdehr-zhek
SVSvenska
sjunkna kostnader-fel
shoon-kah koh-stnah-dehr fehl
SWKiswahili
makosa ya gharama iliyozama
mah-koh-sah yah ghah-rah-mah ee-lee-yoh-zah-mah
TAதமிழ்
மூழ்கிய செலவினை மறத்தல்
mool-gi-ya selavi-nai mara-ttal
TEతెలుగు
మునిగిపోయిన ఖర్చు తప్పు
moo-nee-gee-poh-yin kharchu thappu
THไทย
ความผิดพลาดของต้นทุนจม
khwam phit phlaat kong ton thun jom
TLTL
mali ng nalunod na gastos
mah-lee ng nah-loh-nod ng gah-stos
TRTürkçe
batık maliyet yanılgısı
bah-TEEK mah-lee-yet yah-nee-luh-see
UKУкраїнська
помилка затоплених витрат
poh-mee-lkah zah-toh-peh-lykh vee-trah-t
URاردو
ڈوبے ہوئے اخراجات کی غلطی
doobay huey akhrajat kee ghalti
VITiếng Việt
lỗi chi phí chìm
loh-ee chee pee chim
YOYO
àìrìn-àpínú ẹ̀jọ̀
ah-een-ah-pee-noo eh-joh
ZH中文
沉没成本谬误
chén mò chéng běn miù wù
ZUZU
isiphuku esiphelile
ee-see-phoo-koo eh-see-peh-hee-leh

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