kills the purpose

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "kills the purpose" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an action or decision undermines the intended goal or objective of something. Example: "By adding unnecessary features to the project, we risk creating a product that kills the purpose of simplicity we aimed for."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

While we recognize the need for some level of bureaucracy to help keep our work organized, we can argue that too much of bureaucracy kills the purpose of everything we do and it does not match the reality of this real bottom-up development work that we nurture.

Huffington Post

Otherwise, leaving your customers' queries unanswered or pending for a long time kills the purpose of adding live chat support on your e-commerce website.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The only way Obama would even interject himself into the debate (other than saying generic things from the sidelines) is if he issued a veto threat on some Republican amendment which would kill the purpose of the bill.

Huffington Post

Don't get carried away, it will show and make your face look splotchy, therefore killing the purpose of using concealer.

WikiHow

"This will just kill the entire purpose of competition of athletes," Nezvegsky said.

The New York Times - Sports

This would come too close to violating what ethicists call the dead-donor rule, which states that a person must never be killed for the purpose of removing organs for transplant.

The New York Times

The babies were probably buried in the buildings as ritual sacrifices, but it is unknown whether they were selected for burial because they were already dead, perhaps stillborn, or if they were buried alive or killed for the purpose.

Wikipedia

No animals were killed for the purpose of this study.

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

Fish were not killed for the purpose of this study.

BMC Veterinary Research

None of the pigs were killed with the purpose to fulfill the objectives of the present study.

BMC Veterinary Research

All Siberian roe deer, European roe deer (Leningrad oblast), Eurasian elk and red deer tissue samples were provided by local hunters; animals were not killed for the purpose of this study.

BMC Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "kills the purpose", ensure the context clearly defines what the purpose is and how the action in question negates it. This provides clarity and strengthens your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "kills the purpose" in highly informal settings. Simpler phrases like "makes it pointless" might be more appropriate for casual conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "kills the purpose" functions as a verb phrase, where "kills" acts as a transitive verb taking "the purpose" as its direct object. It is used to indicate that something negates or undermines the intended goal. Ludwig AI confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

50%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "kills the purpose" is a grammatically sound expression used to convey that something negates or undermines an intended goal. While Ludwig AI confirms its usability, it is a relatively rare phrase found in contexts like News & Media and Wiki sources. For alternatives, consider phrases such as "defeats the purpose" or "undermines the objective". When employing this phrase, ensure clarity about the purpose being undermined for maximum impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

defeats the purpose

Uses a different verb to convey the same outcome of negating the intended goal.

undermines the objective

Replaces "kills" with a more gradual and subtle negation, and uses the term 'objective' instead of 'purpose'.

nullifies the intent

Employs a more formal term "nullifies" and replaces "purpose" with "intent".

negates the aim

A simpler alternative, using "negates" and "aim" for similar effect.

thwarts the goal

Uses a more active verb, "thwarts", to indicate a forceful prevention of achieving the goal.

invalidates the rationale

Focuses on undermining the reasoning behind something, rather than the purpose itself.

vitiates the design

A more technical term, "vitiates", suggesting a flaw that ruins the design's purpose.

voids the intention

Implies the original intention is no longer valid or effective.

obliterates the reason

Uses a stronger verb, "obliterates", to suggest a complete erasure of the original reason.

sabotages the mission

Suggests deliberate interference that prevents the mission's success.

FAQs

What does "kills the purpose" mean?

The phrase "kills the purpose" means to completely undermine or negate the intended goal or objective of something, rendering it ineffective or pointless.

What can I say instead of "kills the purpose"?

You can use alternatives like "defeats the purpose", "undermines the objective", or "nullifies the intent" depending on the context.

Is "kills the purpose" grammatically correct?

Yes, "kills the purpose" is grammatically correct, though it may sound somewhat informal or dramatic compared to alternatives like "defeats the purpose".

How to use "kills the purpose" in a sentence?

You can use "kills the purpose" in a sentence like: "Too much bureaucracy "kills the purpose" of bottom-up development work."