a means to an end
noun phrase
: something done only to produce a desired result
Computers have always been a means to an end for [George] Lucas: telling stories.—
David A. Kaplan
David A. KaplanExamples of a means to an end in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump does not see tariffs as a means to an end, that is, as a negotiating tool.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
What policymakers need to remember is that GDP is a means to an end, not an end in itself.
—Abhijit V. Banerjee, Foreign Affairs, 3 Dec. 2019
The big picture: Lisa Shah's interest in AI started purely as a means to an end.
—Megan Morrone, Axios, 25 Oct. 2024
Power for Mugabe was not a means to an end but the end itself.
—Martin Meredith, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2018
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David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
What policymakers need to remember is that GDP is a means to an end, not an end in itself.
—Abhijit V. Banerjee, Foreign Affairs, 3 Dec. 2019
The big picture: Lisa Shah's interest in AI started purely as a means to an end.
—Megan Morrone, Axios, 25 Oct. 2024
Power for Mugabe was not a means to an end but the end itself.
—Martin Meredith, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2018
See all Example Sentences for a means to an end
Dictionary Entries Near a means to an end
Cite this Entry
“A means to an end.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20means%20to%20an%20end. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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