as in cause
the most important part of something or the reason for something
He acts as if making money is the be-all and end-all of human existence.
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Recent Examples of be-all and end-all
Deficit reduction was the be-all and end-all of fiscal policy.
—
Martin Sullivan, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2022
Growth is the be-all and end-all of mainstream economic and political thinking.
—David Marchesephoto Illustration By Bráulio Amado, New York Times, 17 July 2022
The days of the domestic American business being the be-all and end-all are long gone.
—Simon Thompson, Forbes, 21 June 2022
But companies should be wary of treating cyber insurance as the be-all and end-all of protection against attacks, Evans warns.
—Rishi Iyengar, CNN, 23 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for be-all and end-all
Martin Sullivan, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2022
Growth is the be-all and end-all of mainstream economic and political thinking.
—David Marchesephoto Illustration By Bráulio Amado, New York Times, 17 July 2022
The days of the domestic American business being the be-all and end-all are long gone.
—Simon Thompson, Forbes, 21 June 2022
But companies should be wary of treating cyber insurance as the be-all and end-all of protection against attacks, Evans warns.
—Rishi Iyengar, CNN, 23 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for be-all and end-all
Recent Examples of Synonyms for be-all and end-all
Noun
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But in 2004, a Dover, Penn., school board member objected to the textbook and pushed to replace it with one that promotes intelligent design — the belief that certain features of life are best explained by an intelligent cause rather than natural selection.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
8 July 2025
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The cause of canker sores remains unclear, the Mayo Clinic says, but researchers suspect a combination of factors contributes to outbreaks.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 July 2025
Noun
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This safety net extends beyond clinical care to include essential social programs — housing assistance, food programs like SNAP and energy assistance — that address the broader determinants of health, many of which face threatening cuts in their own right.—
Jacob Murphy,
Baltimore Sun,
10 July 2025
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Your brand becomes the chief storyteller of your online presence and a key determinant of your reputational resilience.—
Victoria Marshall,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Be-all and end-all.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/be-all%20and%20end-all. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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