with the sole purpose

USAGE SUMMARY

'with the sole purpose' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to indicate that a single purpose or goal is being referenced. For example, "He joined the organization with the sole purpose of helping others."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

With the sole purpose of extinguishing the Knicks' new life.

The New York Times - Sports

They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people".

The New Yorker

"Just arriving with the sole purpose of winning is what you have to do".

The Guardian - Sport

Everything he did was with the sole purpose of improving his crime-solving abilities.

The Guardian

Apple employs three recruiters with the sole purpose to find people to join the design team.

The Guardian - Tech

And all with the sole purpose of giving you the skinny on who to watch out for in 2010.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The magazine was launched 298 years ago with the sole purpose of documenting, celebrating, entertaining and informing the upper classes.

The Guardian

Me, an eight-foot colossus created from human viscera with the sole purpose of killing and destroying?

The New Yorker

"We visit with the sole purpose of assessing how and why they invest their free cash flow," Mr. Herro said.

The New York Times

"You're not supposed to go into business with the sole purpose of putting your neighbor out of business," she said.

The New York Times

"George Osborne put that bill forward with the sole purpose of trying to cause splits within the Labour party".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "with the sole purpose", ensure the sentence clearly articulates the intended outcome or objective. This clarifies the actor's motivation and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "with the sole purpose" when multiple purposes exist. Ensure it truly reflects the primary, and only, intention behind the action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "with the sole purpose" functions as an adverbial phrase of purpose, modifying a verb to specify the primary intention behind an action. Ludwig's examples confirm its usage in clarifying motivations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "with the sole purpose" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to emphasize the primary intention behind an action. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase appears across various contexts, including news, science, and formal writing. It serves to highlight the exclusivity of a specific aim, making it clear that an action is performed for one reason and no other. While alternatives exist, "with the sole purpose" offers a direct and unambiguous way to convey singular motivation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

with the single intention

This alternative replaces "sole purpose" with "single intention", emphasizing a singular aim.

with the exclusive aim

This option uses "exclusive aim" instead of "sole purpose", highlighting that the goal is the only one.

expressly to

Using "expressly to" underlines that the purpose is explicitly and clearly defined.

only in order to

The phrase "only in order to" specifies that the action is done for one reason and no other.

entirely with the goal of

Here, "entirely with the goal of" reinforces the idea that the goal is the only consideration.

purely for the reason of

Here, "purely for the reason of" substitutes the original phrase, focusing on the unmixed motivation.

specifically for the intention of

This alternative uses "specifically for the intention of", pointing to a clear and particular purpose.

for no other reason than to

This phrase stresses that there is no other motivation except the one stated.

simply to

This version employs a more concise structure while retaining the idea of a singular intention.

just for the sake of

The use of "just for the sake of" suggests that the action is performed with no other reason but this.

FAQs

How can I use "with the sole purpose" in a sentence?

You can use "with the sole purpose" to emphasize the primary intention behind an action. For example, "He joined the team with the sole purpose of winning the championship."

What are some alternatives to "with the sole purpose"?

Alternatives include phrases like "with the single intention", "with the exclusive aim", or "purely for the reason of", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "with the sole purpose of"?

While it can sometimes be rephrased more concisely, using "with the sole purpose of" emphasizes the singularity and exclusivity of the intention. It's not inherently redundant if used for emphasis.

What's the difference between "with the sole purpose" and "with the main purpose"?

"With the sole purpose" indicates that there is only one reason for an action. "With the main purpose" implies that there are other reasons, but one is more important than the others.