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
Alternatively, the heat is a means to an end, either stoking our immune system to work better, or simply a regrettable, but unavoidable byproduct of fighting off an infection.
—NPR, 27 Nov. 2025
But much like the women in refrigerators trope, these interactions are used as a means to an end, not as a defining moment.
—Emma Flint, IndieWire, 25 Nov. 2025
Those agreements should be viewed as a means to an end, and not the other way around, with the end being a more capable Saudi Arabia and stronger military ties.
—Bilal Y. Saab, Time, 22 Nov. 2025
The pay for contract labor was the highest in the industry, and many nurses saw the job as a means to an end, hoping to pay off their student debt.
—Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for a means to an end
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NPR, 27 Nov. 2025
But much like the women in refrigerators trope, these interactions are used as a means to an end, not as a defining moment.
—Emma Flint, IndieWire, 25 Nov. 2025
Those agreements should be viewed as a means to an end, and not the other way around, with the end being a more capable Saudi Arabia and stronger military ties.
—Bilal Y. Saab, Time, 22 Nov. 2025
The pay for contract labor was the highest in the industry, and many nurses saw the job as a means to an end, hoping to pay off their student debt.
—Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2025
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 21 Dec. 2025.
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