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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The bottom line is that unless the Republican student loan plan is amended for automatic inflation indexing, student loan borrowers may find that the Repayment Assistance Plan’s affordability erodes each year. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025 But the bottom line is that federal immigration officers – usually U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – can still carry out deportations in a sanctuary city. Jennifer J. Lee, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2025 Unlike those of their Chinese competitors, their bottom lines will not be seriously hurt by the trade war. Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2025 Fourth-quarter results topped analysts’ estimates on the top and bottom lines. Pia Singh, CNBC, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bottom-line

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

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Bottom-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bottom-line. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

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