as in cause
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 be-all and end-all
Although a loss to the Bills would drop those chances to 25 percent, the outcome of Thursday’s game is not the be-all and end-all.
—
Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Nov. 2022
Deficit reduction was the be-all and end-all of fiscal policy.
—Martin Sullivan, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2022
Growth is the be-all and end-all of mainstream economic and political thinking.
—David Marchesephoto Illustration By Bráulio Amado, New York Times, 17 July 2022
But companies should be wary of treating cyber insurance as the be-all and end-all of protection against attacks, Evans warns.
—Rishi Iyengar, CNN, 23 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for be-all and end-all
Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Nov. 2022
Deficit reduction was the be-all and end-all of fiscal policy.
—Martin Sullivan, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2022
Growth is the be-all and end-all of mainstream economic and political thinking.
—David Marchesephoto Illustration By Bráulio Amado, New York Times, 17 July 2022
But companies should be wary of treating cyber insurance as the be-all and end-all of protection against attacks, Evans warns.
—Rishi Iyengar, CNN, 23 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for be-all and end-all
Recent Examples of Synonyms for be-all and end-all
Noun
-
The identities of the two boys and their cause of death were not immediately released, but foul play is not suspected, according to WFAA.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Currently, there is no data on the containment status of the fire and the cause has yet to be determined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The longest study on happiness to date, out of Harvard University, also found that the single most significant determinant of our happiness at the end of our lives is the strength of our relationships.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Moore suggests focusing on the social determinants of health — providing stable housing and a strong education, for instance — in addition to intervention work.—
Cleo Krejci,
jsonline.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Be-all and end-all.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/be-all%20and%20end-all. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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