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 that employees need to be informed—and acknowledge that they were informed—that company laptops need to be returned once the job is finished. —Zaheer Dodhia, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025

So, if – the bottom line is, Putin has to agree to a 30-day cease-fire for any peace talks to go forward. —/ Cbs News, CBS News, 11 May 2025

The bottom line: The Celtics have to decide whether to stick with the style that brought them here, betting the shots will start to fall, or pivot to a new strategy with their playoff lives on the line. —Jeff Weiner, Axios, 8 May 2025

The bottom line is that military retiree and dependent ID cards remain valid for flying domestically as of today. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1968, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for bottom-line

• acridine
• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• atropine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine