by dint of

Idioms and Phrases

By means of, as in By dint of hard work he got his degree in three years . The word dint , which survives only in this expression, originally meant “a stroke or blow,” and by the late 1500s signified the force behind such a blow. The current term preserves the implication of vigorous or persistent means.

Example Sentences

But America matters by dint of its economic and military strength, and its major role in many alliances.

From BBC

So, can two Californians—one a Black and South Asian American former state attorney general, the other an openly gay former federal prosecutor—open up public safety opportunities and heal historic rifts between cops and marginalized communities by dint of beating their crooked politicians, serving in the federal government, and, quite simply, being up there in the seats of power?

From Slate

My youngest child still manages to fill a just-moments-ago empty laundry basket to the brim by dint of “cleaning” her room, but as I realized fighting tears over this weekend’s laundry, at some point this too will stop.

From Los Angeles Times

Norman Haynes, who for years was Voyager’s overall project manager, once said that Dr. Stone, by dint of his scientific expertise and management skill, “revolutionized the world of project science.”

From New York Times

“They are essentially suspect and potentially traitorous simply by dint of their nationality.”

From Seattle Times