at the end of the day

American  

[at thee end uhv thuh dey] / 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

And when I hear some of the leaders in the field of AI say we need a framework, we need to have limitations, whether they’re self-imposed, whether they are government driven, I think it’s up to policymakers to decide at the end of the day.

From The Wall Street Journal

He added: “We don’t get too worried about day-to-day share price, and at the end of the day it’ll be our performance in the coming years that determines the value that our shareholders receive,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We haven't played our best cricket, but at the end of the day, we've made it through and we're heading to Sri Lanka, so we can be happy about that," said England captain Harry Brook.

From Barron's

“At the end of the day, was it a force of good, or was it a force of evil? I hope people keep debating that,” Sivan said.

From Los Angeles Times

As workers poured out at the end of the day, the rumour travelled fast in a busy neighbourhood.

From BBC

Related Words

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