as in causes
the most important part of something or the reason for something
He acts as if making money is the be-all and end-all of human existence.
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for be-all and end-alls
Noun
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Hippocrates and his followers held on to their belief in natural causes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026 -
Low pay and an increase in retiring attorneys are some of the main causes, Mecklenburg County Chief Public Defender Kevin Tully told The Observer in 2024.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In a new secondary analysis of the larger trial published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Patti and her colleagues asked how different social determinants of health affected outcomes after bariatric surgery compared to medical therapy for people with type 2 diabetes and obesity.—
Elizabeth Cooney,
STAT,
19 Jan. 2026
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This research suggests that social determinants of health, including financial stress and food insecurity, may belong in the same conversation.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
16 Jan. 2026
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“Be-all and end-alls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/be-all%20and%20end-alls. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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