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
By providing a safe space to be vulnerable and inhabit different perspectives, RTA offers a humane alternative to criminal justice, which primarily (and futilely) focuses on punishment as a means to an end.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 11 July 2024
Going on this date with Margeret though showed me a different way, that dating doesn’t have to chip away at us or be a means to an end.
—Phoebe McIlwraith, refinery29.com, 11 Apr. 2024
But Iran’s nuclear program has always been a means to an end—security, status, independence, and international influence—not an end in and of itself.
—Eric Brewer, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2023
Not in service of a selfish goal, but in mutuality and recognition of one another as more than a means to an end.
—Anne Kniggendorf, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for a means to an end 
Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 11 July 2024
Going on this date with Margeret though showed me a different way, that dating doesn’t have to chip away at us or be a means to an end.
—Phoebe McIlwraith, refinery29.com, 11 Apr. 2024
But Iran’s nuclear program has always been a means to an end—security, status, independence, and international influence—not an end in and of itself.
—Eric Brewer, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2023
Not in service of a selfish goal, but in mutuality and recognition of one another as more than a means to an end.
—Anne Kniggendorf, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for a means to an end
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'a means to an end.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near 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 27 Jul. 2024.
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