the end justifies the means
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: the ends justify the means
Meaning · English
Unfair methods may be used if the goal is considered good.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Mục tiêu tốt có thể biện minh cho phương pháp không công bằng
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed on Wikipedia “List of proverbial phrases” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Figurative class: Metaphor (PIE-English corpus, CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31).
Common questions
What does “the end justifies the means” mean?
Unfair methods may be used if the goal is considered good.
Is “the end justifies the means” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.