For All Intents and Purposes | Meaning & Examples

For all intents and purposes is a phrase which means “in effect” or “practically speaking.” It is used to indicate that the practical outcome of something is the same as something else.

Examples: For all intents and purposes in a sentence
For all intents and purposes, she was now the leader of the party.

Even though it had done 1,000 miles, it was, for all intents and purposes, a new car.

With the exams finished, the semester was, for all intents and purposes, over.

For all intensive purposes

“For all intensive purposes” is sometimes mistakenly used instead of the phrase for all intents and purposes.

“Intents” is the plural form of the noun “intent.” In this expression it means “intentions” or “designs.” “Intensive,” on the other hand, is an adjective. It means “needing great effort” or “very concentrated,” and neither of those meanings would make sense in this case.

Example: For all intents and purposes vs for all intensive purposes
  • They had spent so much time together growing up that they were, for all intents and purposes, sisters.
  • They had spent so much time together growing up that they were, for all intensive purposes, sisters.

To all intents and purposes

To all intents and purposes is a less common way of saying for all intents and purposes. Although to all intents and purposes uses the preposition “to” rather than “for,” the saying means exactly the same as for all intents and purposes. This version is most commonly found in British English.

Example: To all intents and purposes in a sentence
Once you start repacking your suitcase, to all intents and purposes the vacation is over.

Frequently asked questions about "for all intents and purposes"

What is a synonym of for all intents and purposes?

For all intents and purposes is a phrase which means “in effect.” Some other synonyms are:

  • Essentially
  • Effectively
  • Practically speaking
  • Virtually
  • Practically
  • In essence

The less-common variant “to all intents and purposes” means the same thing. However, it’s more commonly used in British English.

The QuillBot Paraphrasing Tool can help you vary your vocabulary and keep your writing interesting.

What does for all intensive purposes mean?

“For all intensive purposes” is an incorrect version of the phrase for all intents and purposes.

For all intents and purposes means that in practice, or in reality, one thing is the same as another (e.g., “for all intents and purposes, he was bankrupt, although he still had one hundred dollars”).

The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you avoid mistakes in your grammar and spelling.

Is it for all intents and purposes or to all intents and purposes?

For all intents and purposes is the more common expression. To all intents and purposes means the same thing and is sometimes used in British English.

The QuillBot Paraphrasing Tool can help you bring variety to your writing and avoid repetition.

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Trevor Marshall, MSc

Trevor has a BA in English Literature & Language and an MSc in Applied Social Studies. He has been a teacher for 25 years, with 15 years experience teaching ESL alongside 1st language students.