at the end of the day

American  

[at thee end uhv thuh day] / ˌæt ði ˈɛnd əv ðə ˈdeɪ /

idiom

1. after everything is considered or accounted for; ultimately.

   At the end of the day, we went for simpler printers that just do their job as soon as you click “print” on your device.

   “Yes, cost and convenience matter, but at the end of the day, it’s about the welfare of our children,” she said.

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Etymology

Origin of at the end of the day

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

at the end of the day

So she’s this feeling machine that battles against her own programming, but at the end of the day she can’t help her programming.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

I could also put down a substantial good-faith deposit and settle the balance at the end of the day if the total exceeds the deposit.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

"Because at the end of the day the most important thing is that the quality of the show is the highest that it can be."

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

Only when we stopped in a pottery shop at the end of the day and heard the radio did we learn the news.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

Because at the end of the day she needs me more than I need her.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Related Words

• finally
• in the course of time
• one day
• someday
• sooner or later
• ultimately