Phrase guide

bottom line

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The final balance; the amount of money or profit left after everything has been tallied.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: business

Examples

  • For quotations using this term, see Citations:bottom line.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The summary or result; the most important information.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, idiomatic, uncountable

Examples

  • The bottom line is that there simply are not enough hours in the day to finish all there is to do.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: upshot, net-net

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A minimum acceptable result from a negotiation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, idiomatic, uncountable

Examples

  • My bottom line for this job is $125,000; any less and I'll walk away.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: BATNA, reservation price

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the decisive point

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: point

5

noun

Meaning 5

the last line in an audit; the line that shows profit or loss

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: line

History

Etymology

A reference to the literal bottom line of an income statement or other accounting record.

Across languages

Translations

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 帐本底线 — final balance
  • Finnish: viimeinen rivi — final balance
  • French: résultat net — final balance
  • German: Endergebnis — final balance
  • German: Ergebnis unterm Strich — final balance
  • Hungarian: végösszeg — final balance
  • Polish: saldo — final balance
  • Portuguese: saldo — final balance
  • Spanish: saldo final — final balance
  • Spanish: crematística — final balance
  • Arabic: حاصل الأمر — summary or result
  • Chinese Mandarin: 总结 (zǒngjié) — summary or result
  • Dutch: kortom — summary or result
  • Finnish: lopputulos — summary or result
  • French: résumé — summary or result
  • German: Fazit — summary or result
  • German: Ergebnis unterm Strich — summary or result
  • Hebrew: שורה תחתונה — summary or result
  • Hungarian: összegzés — summary or result
  • Hungarian: lényeg — summary or result
  • Hungarian: végeredmény — summary or result
  • Polish: rezultat — summary or result
  • Polish: wynik — summary or result
  • Spanish: conclusión — summary or result
  • Spanish: mascadito — summary or result