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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
The bottom line: Navigating geopolitics — not to mention uncertain consumers and rapidly evolving battery technology — can be dicey for any automaker. Joann Muller, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024 Some restaurants are trying to earn back business by offering huge discounts on meals or all-you-can-eat specials, which just cuts into their bottom line even more, says Dan Rowe, CEO and founder of Fransmart, a franchise-development group. Alana Semuels, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024 The bottom line The world will be watching America in the coming days, as the country sets its course for the next four years following elections. Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024 Inflation and customers cutting back on discretionary spending also hurt bottlers’ bottom lines. Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 4 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near bottom-line

bottomless pit

bottom-line

bottom line

Cite this Entry

“Bottom-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bottom-line. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

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