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
There is a means to an end here; there is a reasoning for all of this.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2026
For Roy, meanwhile, dating actually seemed to be a means to an end.
—Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Growing up in Southern California, football was a means to an end for Fleming.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
For Carlson and company, anti-Semitism is a means to an end, and Jews are simply collateral damage.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for a means to an end
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Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2026
For Roy, meanwhile, dating actually seemed to be a means to an end.
—Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Growing up in Southern California, football was a means to an end for Fleming.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
For Carlson and company, anti-Semitism is a means to an end, and Jews are simply collateral damage.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 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 Mar. 2026.
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