the end justifies the means
Preserved but no longer current.
A false doctrine, frequently condemned by various popes, which teaches that evil means may be employed to produce a good effect. The true doctrine is that an act is vitiated by any defect in the act itself; not even the smallest sin may be committed that good may come.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Examples
Tatoeba sentence #26656 (CC BY 2.0 FR, tatoeba.org, retrieved 2026-07-31)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “the end justifies the means” mean?
A false doctrine, frequently condemned by various popes, which teaches that evil means may be employed to produce a good effect. The true doctrine is that an act is vitiated by any defect in the act itself; not even the smallest sin may be committed that good may come.
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.