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• rock bottom
  rock bottom

  noun

  the very lowest level.
• rock-bottom
  rock-bottom

  adjective

  at the lowest possible limit or level; extremely low.

rock bottom

¹ American  

noun

1. the very lowest level.

   He went bankrupt and touched rock bottom.

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rock-bottom ² American  

[rok-bot-uhm] / ˈrɒkˈbɒt əm /

adjective

1. at the lowest possible limit or level; extremely low.

   rock-bottom prices.

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rock bottom British  

noun

1. 1. the lowest possible level

   2. ( as modifier )

      rock-bottom prices

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rock bottom Idioms  

1. The lowest possible level, absolute bottom, as in Wheat prices have reached rock bottom. This idiom alludes to the presence of bedrock that prevents digging farther down. [Late 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of rock bottom¹

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

Origin of rock-bottom²

First recorded in 1880–85

Explanation

Use the adjective rock-bottom to describe something that can't be any lower, especially a price. If a store is selling TVs at rock-bottom prices, you probably can't find one any cheaper. You'll almost always find this word describing the low price tag of something that's on sale or that has a very low cost. The rock-bottom prices for books can usually be found online or in a used book store or yard sale, rather than at a new book store. And you'll get rock-bottom prices on groceries if you clip coupons and buy store brands. Rock-bottom was coined sometime in the late nineteenth century.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rock bottom rock-bottom

Relations between the two neighbours hit rock bottom before Hungary's April 12 election that saw Magyar beat long-time nationalist premier Viktor Orban.

From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026

Mother Mary, then, has just reached her rock bottom, with Sam’s good graces barely cushioning her fall.

From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2026

United were not at rock bottom when Carrick replaced Darren Fletcher, who had spent two games as interim boss, on 13 January.

From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2026

When he woke up outside on a stranger’s futon with no money to his name, he knew he’d hit rock bottom.

From Slate ● Feb. 2, 2026

And if he did, Mama’s shame would be even greater than his: this would be a sure sign that we had hit rock bottom.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston

During the pandemic — a period when many Americans upended their lives and moved to new places where they could work remotely — rock-bottom mortgage rates allowed many people to buy houses.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

The returns were all the more impressive since interest rates were at rock-bottom levels and investors were searching for anything that offered even a hint of yield.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026

Those byproducts would normally get sold at rock-bottom prices for animal feed, for instance, or possibly even discarded.

From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026

Speaking to People magazine, Fatone said this rock-bottom period in his life also taught him another important lesson—that it was ultimately his choice how he handled the disappointment.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 23, 2026

Three days later, Seabiscuit was put up for sale, placed in a rock-bottom claiming race for a tag of just $2,500.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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