# sake

/ˈseɪk/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sake
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. benefit or well-being

noun · CEFR B1

the benefit, advantage, or well-being of a person or thing.

For teachers: the benefit, advantage, or interest of a particular person or entity; almost exclusively used in the construction 'for the sake of' or 'for someone's sake'.

- They moved to the countryside for the sake of their children's health.
- The couple decided to maintain a civil relationship for the sake of their shared business interests, despite their personal differences.

Usage: Usually follows 'for' and is followed by 'of', or follows a possessive noun/pronoun.

### 2. purpose or reason

noun · CEFR B2

the reason or purpose for doing something.

For teachers: the purpose, motive, or end goal of an action.

- He didn't want to argue just for the sake of arguing.
- The artist refused to add decorative elements for the sake of mere ornamentation, preferring a strictly functional aesthetic.

Usage: Commonly used in the phrase 'for the sake of it' to mean doing something without a serious reason.

### 3. emphasis or emotion

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

used in phrases to show you are annoyed, surprised, or want to emphasize something.

For teachers: used in various exclamatory phrases to express impatience, annoyance, or urgency.

- For goodness' sake, please turn down that loud music.
- For heaven's sake, we have been waiting for over an hour and the train still hasn't arrived.

Usage: Appears in fixed expressions like 'for God's sake', 'for heaven's sake', or 'for Pete's sake'.

### 4. Japanese rice wine

noun · CEFR B2

a Japanese alcoholic drink made from fermented rice.

For teachers: a Japanese alcoholic beverage produced by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran.

- We ordered a bottle of warm sake to go with our sushi dinner.
- The sommelier explained the differences between various grades of premium sake, noting the impact of rice polishing ratios on the final flavour profile.

Usage: Often spelled 'saké' or 'saki' to distinguish it from the English word for 'benefit'.

## Examples

- I am doing this for your own sake.
- The couple decided to stay together for the sake of their children until they finished school.
- The government argued that the temporary restrictions were necessary for the sake of national security, despite concerns regarding individual privacy rights.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.