by dint of

Idioms  

1. By means of, as in By dint of hard work he got his degree in three years. The word dint, which survives only in this expression, originally meant “a stroke or blow,” and by the late 1500s signified the force behind such a blow. The current term preserves the implication of vigorous or persistent means.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

by dint of

But amongst MPs in the other place next door, and outside the Houses of Parliament, the idea of continuing to allow aristocrats seats by dint of birth is anathema to many.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026

“Home Alone” certainly made Culkin a star, which was its intention, and O’Hara, by dint of John Hughes’ characterization, an able partner.

From Salon ● Feb. 4, 2026

Mr. Harkins insists that he is “not really special,” but he can be said to speak for his fellow officers by dint of family history.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025

He can get them to do things by dint of their friendship—things that other presidents cannot.

From Slate ● Jan. 20, 2025

Our oarsmen were so fresh, by dint of having occasionally let her drive with the tide for a minute or two, that a quarter of an hour’s rest proved full as much as they wanted.

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens