end in itself

Idioms  

1. A purpose or goal desired for its own sake (rather than to attain something else). For example, For me, writing books is an end in itself; they don't really make that much money. This expression employs the noun end in the sense of “final cause or purpose,” a usage dating from the early 1500s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

end in itself

For the ancients, understanding was an end in itself.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026

I have tended to come out on the side of the principle that since the only alternative to law is raw power, the law must by necessity be an end in itself.

From Slate ● Jul. 9, 2025

Risk aversion has become an end in itself.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2024

It is not about occupying the office as an end in itself.

From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2023

The search for scientific truth was never an end in itself, but a means toward attaining the wisdom necessary to achieve peace of mind.

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro