means to an end

/miːnz tuː ən ɛnd/

noun

A method by which a goal is achieved.

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Meanings

nounmeans to an end (plural means to an end or means to ends)

plural means to ends

  1. A method by which a goal is achieved.
    1 more example

    Daenerys has seen herself as avenging the wrongs done to her from the first season; she didn’t really need another to add to her list. The way they’re handled, Missandei’s death, as well as Rhaegal’s, amount to chess pieces being removed from the board. They deserve better than being a means to an end, even on a show that’s often treated death (and life) as a game to be beaten.

    2019 May 5, Danette Chavez, “Campaigns are Waged On and Off the Game Of Thrones Battlefield (Newbies)”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 28 Jan 2021

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 手段
  • 手段 (shǒuduàn)method by which a goal is achieved
Finnish keino
  • keinomethod by which a goal is achieved
German Mittel zum Zweck
  • Mittel zum Zweckmethod by which a goal is achieved
Polish środek do celu
  • środek do celumethod by which a goal is achieved
Spanish medio para un fin
  • medio para un finmethod by which a goal is achieved
Vietnamese đầu xuôi đuôi lọt
  • đầu xuôi đuôi lọtmethod by which a goal is achieved
Cite this entry
APA

means to an end. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/means%20to%20an%20end

MLA

“means to an end.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/means%20to%20an%20end. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “means to an end,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/means%20to%20an%20end.

Source: means to an end on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.