play person studying illustration

'All Intensive Purposes' or 'All Intents and Purposes'?

We're intent on clearing it up


Is the phrase 'for all intensive purposes' or 'for all intents and purposes'? Senior Editor Emily Brewster explains.

Transcript

Sometimes a word that sounds like the right word, and feels like the right word, isn't actually the right word. It's an eggcorn.

If something has the same effect or result as another thing, it's not "for all intensive purposes" the same as that other thing, it's for all intents and purposes the same. It shares the same aim as the other thing, so it has the same effect or result.

Up next

play fun funner funnest
Fun, Funner, Funnest

 

Why does it sound strange to say 'funner' or 'funnest?'

play video drive safe ly
Drive Safe: In Praise of Flat Adverbs

 

You don't have to end all your adverbs in -ly to talk right.

play video hopefully
Hopefully

 

We believe the popular usage of this word is correct

play ismo merriam webster trunk boot
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "Junk in the Trunk"

 

Comedian ISMO on what separates a boot from a trunk

play serenity carr next to an illustration of a refrigerator with the letter d in it
Why is there a 'd' in 'fridge' but not in 'refrigerator'?

 

Thawing one of the mysteries of English

play there theyre their video
There, They're, Their

 

There, there. We'll sort it out.