at bottom

Idioms  

1. Fundamentally, basically; also, in reality. For example, He may speak somewhat bluntly, but at bottom he's always honest. Charles Dickens used this idiom in Nicholas Nickleby (1838): “He's a good pony at bottom.” [Early 1700s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

at bottom

Philosopher Timothy McGrew then observes that Mr. Dawkins “has famously said that ‘the universe has at bottom just those properties one would expect if there were no design, no purpose, only blind pitiless indifference.’

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026

Cole Palmer scored a first half hat-trick as fifth-placed Chelsea won 3-1 at bottom of the table Wolves.

From Barron's ● Feb. 7, 2026

Should leaders Celtic win at bottom club St Johnstone on Sunday, they can wrap up a 13th Premiership title in 14 seasons when they host Kilmarnock next Saturday.

From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2025

Solving specific problems, at bottom, is a matter of logos.

From Salon ● Mar. 15, 2025

The old feeling, that at bottom it did not matter whether O’Brien was a friend or an enemy, had come back.

From "1984" by George Orwell