1
: prime cause : essential element
2

Examples of be-all and end-all in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For those whose work is their be-all and end-all, being let go can be earth-shattering. Byorianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2023 The signup offer, while incredibly lucrative, isn’t the be-all and end-all for DraftKings. Gary Pearson | Catena Media, al, 1 Dec. 2022 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 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 Love is framed as the be-all and end-all of human existence in books, films, TV shows and songs. Serena Smith, refinery29.com, 14 Dec. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'be-all and end-all.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of be-all and end-all was circa 1616

Dictionary Entries Near be-all and end-all

Cite this Entry

“Be-all and end-all.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/be-all%20and%20end-all. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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