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
Susan Tompor, USA Today, 20 Nov. 2025
On Wednesday, the chipmaker will reveal its top- and bottom-line results for the third quarter.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 13 Nov. 2025
Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2025
Most designers are simply too focused on their vision (or bottom lines) to think about how women really live and want to feel.
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottom-line
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Adjective
Many people have their Medicare Part B premium automatically deducted from the Social Security benefits each month, which means the bottom-line increase could be smaller than some would expect.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 20 Nov. 2025
On Wednesday, the chipmaker will reveal its top- and bottom-line results for the third quarter.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 13 Nov. 2025
Noun
Palomar hopes that receiving more of these patients will quickly help shore up its battered bottom line, which has forced it to rein in some services, including psychiatric care and labor and delivery.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2025
Most designers are simply too focused on their vision (or bottom lines) to think about how women really live and want to feel.
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottom-line
Cite this Entry
“Bottom-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bottom-line. Accessed 6 Dec. 2025.
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