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
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
The days of the domestic American business being the be-all and end-all are long gone.
—Simon Thompson, Forbes, 21 June 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
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
The days of the domestic American business being the be-all and end-all are long gone.
—Simon Thompson, Forbes, 21 June 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
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Currently, there is no information on the containment of the fire and the cause of it remains undetermined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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Paine wrote for common audiences to build a common cause.—
Matthew Redmond
August 13,
Literary Hub,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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King predicted that in the long-term, these digital currencies, which peg their value to a hard asset like the U.S. dollar, will be the single greatest determinant of ether’s future price fluctuations.—
Charles Lloyd Bovaird II,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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That information includes the list of providers a patient sees; summaries of each encounter with those providers; and their social determinants of health such as housing, access to food and employment.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 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 19 Aug. 2025.
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