for the love of

Idioms  

1. For the sake of, in consideration of. For example, She signed up for all these volunteer jobs for the love of praise . [c. 1200]

2. . An exclamation of surprise, exasperation, or some similar feeling, as in For the love of Pete, give me the money! James Joyce used this idiom in Ulysses (1922): “For the love of Mike listen to him.” Pete and Mike are euphemisms for God. [Early 1900s] Also see for the sake of , def. 3.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

for the love of

“It used to be, ‘Hey, I’m in this for the love of the game,’” said Ross Williams, a private-equity attorney and partner at law firm Reed Smith.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

“I do it for the love of the game.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

“He plays for the love of the game and just because it’s all he knows,” Tyler said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2025

"I run the pub for the love of it and for the fact I'm a village girl," she says.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2025

‘And I for the folk of the Great Wood,’ said Legolas, ‘and for the love of the Lord of the White Tree.’

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien