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

The whole point of their years of endeavor is to end it once and for all.

From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026

DC Studios co-chief James Gunn took to social media Monday to settle a debate once and for all: Of course, Supergirl can have pierced ears.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

Those efforts were rejected once and for all by BP’s board at a meeting Tuesday morning, following a three-day holiday weekend, this time without the chairman present.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

Maybe keep an eye on whether Sunderland and Villa fall off massively next season if you fancy figuring out once and for all whether 'expected' data is truly insightful or a heap of hogwash.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

Maybe if she checked word by word she would uncover more typos, or something else that would help her solve the puzzle once and for all.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman