By-end is a rather obscure word, and it's not surprising if you haven't come across it before. But if you look for synonyms for it, you'll find a variety of options that are more commonly used. For example, a by-end could be a side issue, a secondary goal, a subordinate objective, or a minor pursuit. Other possibilities include tangential matter, collateral matter, ancillary activity, or incidental concern. These words suggest that the by-end is not the primary focus, but rather something that is related, but less important. No matter which synonym you choose, it's clear that a by-end is not the main event.