once and for all

Idioms  

1. As a settled matter, finally, permanently, as in Once and for all, we're not hiring that organist again, or We've settled that question once and for all. This expression is in effect an abbreviation for “one time and for all time.” [Late 1400s]

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Example Sentences

It’s time to fix this once and for all.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

Interestingly, despite her apparent eagerness to hold on to her California property, Simpson had previously expressed a desire to quit the Golden State once and for all.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

The tactics are a significant shift for the Pentagon, which has mostly avoided targeting Iraqi militias in recent years, seeking to disengage from a painful conflict once and for all.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

In a statement, a government spokeswoman said the lawsuit was "nonsense", adding: "But we welcome the opportunity to solve it once and for all in a court of law."

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

I’m counting on you once and for all to make it clear whether you want me in that school.

From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals