play person studying illustration

'All Intensive Purposes' or 'All Intents and Purposes'?

We're intent on clearing it up


Is the phrase 'for all intensive purposes' or 'for all intents and purposes'? Senior Editor Emily Brewster explains.

Transcript

Sometimes a word that sounds like the right word, and feels like the right word, isn't actually the right word. It's an eggcorn.

If something has the same effect or result as another thing, it's not "for all intensive purposes" the same as that other thing, it's for all intents and purposes the same. It shares the same aim as the other thing, so it has the same effect or result.

Up next

play backward index mystery
The True Story of the Backward Index

 

These people needed a computer

play contractions
On Contractions of Multiple Words

 

You all would not have guessed some of these

play videos pictures in the dictionary
Pictures in the Dictionary

 

The story of those iconic illustrations.

play is none singular or plural video
Is 'None' Singular or Plural?

 

Or both? Or neither?

play semantic bleaching text on white background
What Is 'Semantic Bleaching'?

 

How 'literally' can mean "figuratively"

play illustrated notebook that says everyday vs every day
'Everyday' vs. 'Every Day'

 

A simple trick to keep them separate