a means to an end
noun phrase
: something done only to produce a desired result
Computers have always been a means to an end for [George] Lucas: telling stories.—
David A. Kaplan
David A. KaplanExamples of a means to an end in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Making clothes was a means to an end, a necessity, and later, raising three girls after a divorce from her ceramist husband Richard Saar, was a matter of survival.
—Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
In terms of Kantian ethics, journalists should not use anyone as a means to an end.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
This type of torture is a means to an end.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
There is a means to an end here; there is a reasoning for all of this.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2026
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Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
In terms of Kantian ethics, journalists should not use anyone as a means to an end.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
This type of torture is a means to an end.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
There is a means to an end here; there is a reasoning for all of this.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for a means to an end
Cite this Entry
“A means to an end.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20means%20to%20an%20end. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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