at all costs

Idioms

Also,. Regardless of the expense or effort involved, by any means. For example, Ann told the doctor to preserve her mother's sight at all costs, or It seems the company plans to develop the product at any cost, or I'm determined to get vacation time at any price. [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

We were charged with protecting history at all costs, while they were happy to change history for the right price.

From Literature

We either care, at all costs, for our magnificent world or nothing matters.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s no longer just about growth at all costs, grow your head count as much as possible,” said Deon Nicholas, co-founder and chairman of AI customer service startup Forethought.

From The Wall Street Journal

That image of Bush has become a meme — a symbol of presidential hubris that any leader with a drop of sense would seek to avoid at all costs.

From Salon

Weston admits he has to win at all costs.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023