sake

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈsāk 

1

: end, purpose

for the sake of argument

2

a

: the good, advantage, or enhancement of some entity (such as an ideal)

… free to pursue learning for its own sake.

—M. S. Eisenhower

b

: personal or social welfare, safety, or benefit

sake

2 of 2

noun (2)

sa·​ke ˈsä-kē 

variants or saki

: a Japanese alcoholic beverage of fermented rice often served hot

Examples of sake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

It’s embellished, but the work has gravitas—not just beading for beading’s sake, but weighty and graphic. — Rebecca Suhrawardi, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

The two aimed to be amicable for the sake of their children, Kate told PEOPLE in 2016, however, after a long and difficult custody battle, she was granted primary custody of all eight children. — Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026

When speaking about Weber's recent releases, Nanos makes clear that the brand's goal has never been to get techy for tech's sake. — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026

For comparison’s sake, the only team in the East to score more goals than the Penguins was Carolina, and only 103 of the Hurricanes’ goals were scored by players age 30 or older. — Josh Yohe, New York Times, 27 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, dispute, guilt, purpose, from Old English sacu guilt, action at law; akin to Old High German sahha action at law, cause, Old English sēcan to seek — more at seek

Noun (2)

Japanese sake

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1682, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sake

• art for art's sake
• for goodness' sake
• for heaven's sake
• for old times' sake
• for simplicity's sake
• for the sake of appearances
• for the sake of it
• for the sake of simplicity
• just for the sake of it

Rhymes for sake

• ache
• ake
• bake
• brake
• break
• cake
• craik
• crake
• fake
• flake
• hake
• jake

Kids Definition

sake

1 of 2 noun

ˈsāk 

1

: goal sense 2, purpose

for the sake of argument

2

: the good of something : advantage

the sake of our country

sake

2 of 2 noun

sa·​ke

variants or saki

ˈsäk-ē 

: a Japanese alcoholic drink made from rice

Etymology

Noun

Old English sacu "guilt, legal action"

Noun

Japanese