BE-ALL AND END-ALL Synonyms: 29 Similar and Opposite Words

be-all and end-all

noun

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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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of be-all and end-all Although a loss to the Bills would drop those chances to 25 percent, the outcome of Thursday’s game is not the be-all and end-all. — Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Nov. 2022 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 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 41, Cristiano Ronaldo is still one of the most popular athletes in the world and even if his presence on the Portuguese national team is cause for international debate, a player like Folarin Balogun has no place in any paragraph with Ronaldo.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026
Investigators did not disclose further details surrounding the cause and manner of her death.

— Seamus Bozeman Follow, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

Definition of cause

Noun

Appropriately applying context is the primary determinant of success with agentic assistants.

— Jason Andersen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Because even if Anthropic wanted to play that role, being both the provider of a hackable service and the blocking of cyberterrorists, the insurance companies, the determinants of who gets coverage, would never allow it.

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 5 July 2026

Definition of determinant

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be-all and end-all

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“Be-all and end-all.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/be-all%20and%20end-all. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of be-all and end-all

noun

Example Sentences

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