All is well that ends well

Definition & Bedeutung von "all is well that ends well"

all is well that ends well

used to imply that as long as a situation or event has a successful or satisfactory conclusion, any difficulties or problems that occurred along the way are ultimately unimportant

Proverb

What is the origin of the proverb "all is well that ends well" and when to use it?

The origin of the proverb "all is well that ends well" can be traced back to medieval England, but it was popularized by William Shakespeare, who used it as the title of his play 'All's Well That Ends Well,' written in the early 17th century. The saying reflects the idea that no matter the difficulties or struggles faced along the way, a good outcome justifies everything that led up to it. While it encourages optimism, it can also ignore the importance of the process, suggesting that only the final result matters. This perspective can be reassuring in some cases but may also lessen the importance of hardships or mistakes made along the way.

Example

The company faced some setbacks in the development of their new product, but all is well that ends well as it became a best-seller and generated huge profits.