be-all and end-all
Americannoun
noun
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the ultimate aim or justification
to provide help for others is the be-all and end-all of this group
-
humorous a person or thing considered to be beyond improvement
Etymology
Origin of be-all and end-all
First recorded in 1595–1605
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s what Panko called an “optimization technique,” not the be-all and end-all of a retirement plan.
From MarketWatch ● May 15, 2026
It's not the be-all and end-all, but it would be another marker the players can look back on.
From BBC ● Nov. 24, 2025
Drought Monitor shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all for decision-making, and should continue be paired with reservoir observations, snow surveys and other measurements to form a complete picture.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2024
Although the "attention economy" has always existed, it has become the be-all and end-all of any audiovisual or editorial production.
From Salon ● Feb. 20, 2023
The realization baffled me, since that had been primary on our minds when we left—the be-all and end-all of our journey, the reason for leaving Mamá’s side.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
