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
-
Actors and rock stars from the counterculture scene—including the band Jefferson Airplane—started donating money and cars to the cause.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
No arrests have been made at this time, and the fire marshal has not yet determined the cause of the fire.—
Katie Houlis,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The organization offers a Nurse Family Partnership Program, which consists of weekly home visits from a nurse, and the Guided Journey Program, which focuses on the social determinants of health.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Public health programs and policies are strong determinants of nutritional status, which has direct consequences on individuals’ health, as seen by recent cuts to food assistance programs, rollbacks on community water fluoridation, and alterations to the Dietary Guidelines process.—
Christopher Duggan,
STAT,
27 Mar. 2026
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 2 Apr. 2026.
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