raison d'etre
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.
See Examples For:
"But you also knew that his raison d'etre was to sort of catch you in the off moment."
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
My raison d’etre for living is him, to take care of him, to protect him.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2025
A concert might sound like an odd raison d’etre for visiting a foreign country, especially when fans can watch the Eras Tour from home via the documentary now streaming on Disney+.
From Seattle Times ● May 7, 2024
So they feel like it is their signature, their raison d’etre.
From Slate ● Mar. 28, 2023
Incapable of foresight, the nobles were the first to break with the traditions that were their only raison d'etre.
From The Psychology of Revolution by Gustave Le Bon
But, for smaller companies whose AI offerings are their raison d’être, there are pros and cons of the new era.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 18, 2026
BeReal’s appeal ended the second the app started pushing users to friend randos and post more than once a day, defeating its entire raison d’être.
From Slate ● Dec. 14, 2025
Not far away, at Pepa Bar a Vins, irreverence was the raison d’être.
From Salon ● Dec. 6, 2025
Fundamentally, the format's raison d'être is now under question.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2025
But compromise was in truth incompatible with the raison d'être of the Khárijites, namely, to establish the kingdom of God upon the earth.
From A Literary History of the Arabs by Reynold Nicholson
