sake

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈsāk 

1

: end, purpose

for the sake of argument

2

a

: the good, advantage, or enhancement of some entity (such as an ideal)

free to pursue learning for its own sake

—M. S. Eisenhower

b

: personal or social welfare, safety, or benefit

sake

2 of 2

noun (2)

sa·​ke ˈsä-kē 

variants or saki

: a Japanese alcoholic beverage of fermented rice often served hot

Examples of sake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Sheen and Richards were married in 2002 and divorced four years later, and only recently pledged a united front for the sake of their children after Sami launched her OnlyFans account. —Tracy Wright, Fox News, 10 Feb. 2025

Just for the sake of inconsistency, there also are a slew of reticent sellers who believe that the bull market has lots more runway; as evidenced by a recent mini-burst of hostile takeover bids. —Dan Primack, Axios, 10 Feb. 2025

Having a wedding anniversary the day before Valentine’s Day could be like having a birthday just before Christmas — the individual milestone could get lost in the holiday, or festivities could be merged for the sake of convenience. —Sofía Sanchez, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025

Given the facts of the case, a monetary settlement by CBS given to a sitting President presents a hornet’s nest of dangerous precedents for journalism and for the sake of legal and political ethical standards expected of public officials. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 8 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, dispute, guilt, purpose, from Old English sacu guilt, action at law; akin to Old High German sahha action at law, cause, Old English sēcan to seek — more at seek

Noun (2)

Japanese sake

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1682, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sake

• art for art's sake
• for goodness' sake
• for heaven's sake
• for old times' sake
• for simplicity's sake
• for the sake of appearances
• for the sake of it
• for the sake of simplicity
• just for the sake of it

Kids Definition

sake

1 of 2 noun

ˈsāk 

1

: goal sense 2, purpose

for the sake of argument

2

: the good of something : advantage

the sake of our country

sake

2 of 2 noun

sa·​ke

variants or saki

ˈsäk-ē 

: a Japanese alcoholic drink made from rice

Etymology

Noun

Old English sacu "guilt, legal action"

Noun

Japanese