bottom-line

1 of 2

adjective

bot·​tom-line ˈbä-təm-ˌlīn 

1

: concerned only with cost or profits

2

: pragmatic, realistic

bottom-liner

ˈbä-təm-ˌlī-nər 

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

Synonyms

Noun

• bull's-eye
• centerpiece
• core
• crux
• essence
• gist
• heart
• kernel
• keynote
• meat
• meat and potatoes
• net
• nub
• nubbin
• nucleus
• pith
• pivot
• point
• root
• sum

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

The bottom line is the Heat can stay in control of its own destiny with a win on Sunday. —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2024

Reddit and other IPOs could be great news for investors Amazon's new pharmacy won't do much for its bottom line, analyst says Does Novo Nordisk already have the next Ozempic? Can Boeing compete with Airbus? —Quartz, 3 Apr. 2024

The bottom line for any successful weight loss journey is to stay consistent. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024

But corporations aren’t the only ones riding high: The supercharged bottom line of America’s biggest companies may have helped boost the entire country’s economy, keeping people employed, and averting a recession. —Paolo Confino, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2024

And so, bottom line, every American is equally held responsible under the law. —Nbc Universal, NBC News, 31 Mar. 2024

In Cigna's Loneliness Index data, published in the Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, show that loneliness strongly affects the organization and its bottom line. —Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024

The bottom line: Jumping from job to job is the best way to ensure steady raises. —Jane Thier, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024

Presumably, the more restrictive stance is designed to entice more people to purchase memberships and in turn boost Costco's bottom line. —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1968, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1a