end-all
Americannoun
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the ultimate purpose, object, or conclusion.
Money is the be-all and end-all of his existence.
-
something that brings things to such an end or conclusion.
noun
Etymology
Origin of 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
But California would not prove to be the be-all and end-all for the rapper, who chose to lay down more permanent roots in Utah, just outside of Salt Lake City.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 18, 2026
But Olympic medal tables do not tell the full story, and are not the be-all and end-all.
From BBC ● Feb. 15, 2026
“We didn’t even really think of ourselves really as, like, Hispanic — I mean, we all were, but it wasn’t the end-all be-all,” Barrios said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2025
Peck’s access to an end-all weapon makes him valuable.
From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera
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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.