kill two birds with one stone

Cultural  

1. To accomplish two objectives with a single action: “If we can get gas and have lunch at the next rest stop, we will be killing two birds with one stone.”

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kill two birds with one stone Idioms  

1. Achieve two ends with a single effort, as in As long as I was in town on business, I thought I'd kill two birds and visit my uncle too. This expression is so well known that it is often shortened, as in the example. [c. 1600]

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Example Sentences

“If the decision is made to move the Hahn Center seems to kill two birds with one stone, preserving the 1960 architecture and housing irreplicable art objects.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2025

Rep. Glenn Ivey, a Democrat whose district includes a significant portion of Prince George’s, said lawmakers made it clear during the meeting “that we can kill two birds with one stone with this.”

From Seattle Times • Mar. 8, 2023

I have an idea that may kill two birds with one stone.

From Washington Post • Jul. 27, 2022

That way you kill two birds with one stone by giving her the opportunity to be more social while enjoying books.

From Slate • May 20, 2021

She’d be needing a fresh bar of soap within the hour and could kill two birds with one stone if she got it now.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith