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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Here’s the bottom line: Empathetic organizations don’t begin with clever ad campaigns. Maria Ross, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025 That hit to its bottom line was largely responsible for a 21% drop in net income for the period. Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 22 July 2025 Shares of the health information technology company rose on the heels of a second-quarter beat on the top and bottom lines. Sean Conlon,alex Harring, CNBC, 22 July 2025 The argument has raged for years in Chicago about whether legalizing more decentralized gambling would help the city’s bottom line or simply cannibalize tax revenue that would otherwise come in from the casino. Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Bottom-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bottom-line. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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