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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.”


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]


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.

I had all of those thoughts, but I’m doing it the day before the Hollywood Bowl so I can kill two birds with one stone.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 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

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

Why not kill two birds with one stone by displaying surplus statues alongside the subterranean streetcar tracks?

From Washington Post • Jan. 12, 2019

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