Dictionary

the end justifies the means en · X

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Falsely attributed to Machiavelli's The Prince, which does not use the phrase in the work. A possible source is Ovid's Heroides (ca. 10 BCE), which says exitus ācta probat (“the outcome justifies the deeds”). However, its use there is quite likely to have an opposite meaning of outcome proving means were unjustified, based on its context.

Meanings

1. Morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes; actions can be considered morally right or wrong only by virtue of the morality of the outcome.
   • The White House argument is simple: that the end justifies the means. 2023 July 7, David Smith, “End justifies means for Biden in sending cluster bombs to Ukraine”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • Shepard: You honestly think the experiments you did here are justified? Maelon: We committed cultural genocide! Nothing I do will ever be justified! Maelon: The experiments are monstrous... because I was taught to be a monster. Shepard: Mordin, did you ever perform experiments like this? Mordin: No. Never taught you this, Maelon. Maelon: So your hands are clean! What does it matter if the ground is stained with the blood of millions! Maelon: You taught me that the end justified the means. I will undo what we did, Professor. The only way I know how. 2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Tuchanka:
   • Marxists were often criticized for believing that the ends justified the means, yet these old Cold Warriors were now the ones using ends to justify means—attacking science in the name of freedom. 2010, Naomi Oreskes, Erik M. Conway, chapter 5, in Merchants of Doubt:

Forms

Relateds

ways and means · end in itself · all's fair in love and war · means to an end · consequentialism · by any means

Translations (44)

fr la fin justifie les moyens (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · he כָּל הָאֶמְצָעִים כְּשֵׁרִים (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · pt não se faz omelete sem se quebrar alguns ovos (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · pl cel uświęca środki (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · tr amaca giden her yol mübahtır (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · gl o fin xustifica os medios (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · id tujuan menghalalkan cara (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · ja うそも方便 (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · af die doel heilig die middele (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · da målet helliger midlet (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · mk целта ги оправдува средствата (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · cmn 只要目的正當，可以不擇手段 /只要目的正当 (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · el ο σκοπός αγιάζει τα μέσα (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · la exitus ācta probat (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · sk účel svätí prostriedky (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · bg целта́ оправда́ва сре́дствата (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · nl het doel heiligt de middelen (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · de der Zweck heiligt die Mittel (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · sh cȋlj opràvdāvā srèdstvo (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · cmn 可以不择手段 (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · hu a cél szentesíti az eszközt (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · pt os fins justificam os meios (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · no målet helliggjør midlene (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · is tilgangurinn helgar meðalið (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · ja 目的のためには手段を選ばない (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · ro scopul scuză mijloacele (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · ka მიზანი ამართლებს საშუალებას (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · fa هدف وسیله را توجیه میکند (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · ru цель опра́вдывает сре́дства (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · es el fin justifica los medios (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · it il fine giustifica i mezzi (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · ja 嘘も方便 (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · uk мета виправдовує засоби (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · he הַמַּטָּרָה מְקַדֶּשֶׁת אֶת הָאֶמְצָעִים (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · fi tarkoitus pyhittää keinot (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · ca els fins justifiquen els mitjans (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · vi cứu cánh biện minh cho phương tiện (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · fr qui veut la fin veut les moyens (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · ar الْغَايَةُ تُبَرِّرُ الْوَسِيلَةَ (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · sh ци̑љ опра̀вда̄ва̄ срѐдство (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · cs účel světí prostředky (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · sv ändamålet helgar medlen (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · ms matlamat menghalalkan cara (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary) · ko 목적이 수단을 정당화한다 (morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary)

wikipedia: Machiavelli · wikipedia: Ovid · wikipedia: Heroides · wikipedia: The Prince