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

Starbucks and McDonald’s are blaming their own high prices for the problem, and their bottom lines are suffering. 🍪 Chips ahoy. —Peter Green, Quartz, 12 May 2024

The bottom line is that this whiskey is inoffensive but unremarkable, kind of the Coldplay or Ben Affleck of bourbons. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 12 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1968, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1a