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
-
At this time, the containment status is unknown and the cause of the fire remains undetermined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
21 July 2025
-
The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
21 July 2025
Noun
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Citing similar cases to Reyes’, Sun said access to immigration lawyers is a major determinant of outcome.—
Jia H. Jung,
Mercury News,
16 July 2025
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Forward guidance will be the main determinant of whether these laggards can assume leadership or if earnings growth leader Technology continues to dominate the market.—
Randy Watts,
Forbes.com,
11 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 29 Jul. 2025.
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