Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

be-all and end-all

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.54 in modern English

Syllables: be-al-l and end-all
IPA

18

Scrabble Score

14

Letters

4

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.

Example Sentences

"He thought that cars were the be-all and end-all of life."
"Profit is the be-all and end-all of business."
"That but this blow / Might be the be-all and the end-all!"
"The compulsory tests in reading, writing and maths at the end of years 2 and 6 are often mistakenly seen as the be-all and end-all of a child's chances in life, and the quality of their school."
"Back in the day, pore strips were the be-all and end-all for removing blackheads and buildup around the nose. These days, there are gentler and more effective ways to unclog the pores around the nostrils, but some have found success with strips and experience no irritation. If you're looking to try some, consider these six Byrdie-approved pore strips."

Inflected Forms

be-alls and end-alls (plural) be-all end-all (alternative) end-all be-all (alternative) end-all and be-all (alternative)

Phrases

end in itself raison d'être

Frequently Paired Words

end in itself raison d'être

Synonyms

be all and end all

Questions

What does be-all and end-all mean?: Something considered to be of the utmost importance; something essential or ultimate.

How to pronounce be-all and end-all

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