bottom-line

1 of 2

adjective

bot·​tom-line ˈbä-təm-ˌlīn How to pronounce bottom-line (audio)
1
: concerned only with cost or profits
2
bottom-liner noun chiefly US, often disparaging

bottom line

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: the essential or salient point : crux
b
: the primary or most important consideration
2
a
: the line at the bottom of a financial report that shows the net profit or loss
b
: financial considerations (such as cost or profit or loss)
c
: the final result

Examples of bottom-line in a Sentence

Noun If our flight is late, we will miss our connection. That's the bottom line. A student with special needs can stress a school's budget, but the bottom line is that the state must provide for the child's education. How will these changes affect our bottom line? He's always got his eye on the bottom line. He says his bottom line is $120,000.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
At the time, Yeezy sneakers were contributing 8% to the Adidas bottom line. Melvin Backman, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 The bottom line is that hundreds of retail stores could close within the year. The Indianapolis Star, 13 Mar. 2024 The legal ins and outs are complicated, but the bottom line is that National Review’s Special Motion to Dismiss prevailed in large part in May of 2019. The Editors, National Review, 13 Mar. 2024 Image Over the years, Walmart — the largest private employer in the United States with 1.6 million workers — has been accused of being more focused on the bottom line than the people in its stores. Jordyn Holman, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2024 However, the bottom line was dour for its North America unit, as revenue plunged more than $1.4 billion, largely because of a sharp decline in Bud Light sales. Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 Protect your assets: Best high-yield savings accounts of 2023 Pensions also siphon away money that companies otherwise could use for investments that enhance the bottom line. Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 NFTs added almost $50 million to the bottom lines of Gucci, Tiffany’s, and Dolce & Gabbana until declining sentiment toward crypto ushered in a new era – ‘quiet technology’. Jackie Berardo, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Flexibility helps corporate bottom lines, too, because employees are less likely to quit, recent research suggests. TIME, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bottom-line.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1968, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of bottom-line was in 1830

Dictionary Entries Near bottom-line

bottomless pit

bottom-line

bottom line

Cite this Entry

“Bottom-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bottom-line. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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