at the end of the day
Meaning
Ultimately; when everything is considered, the final or most important point is.
Origin
Originally a literal time reference (the day’s conclusion). From the late 20th century it became a common conversational phrase meaning “in the end/when all is said and done,” popular in business/political talk.
Notes
Used to introduce a bottom line or final takeaway. Very common in speech, especially business/politics; can sound cliché or evasive if overused.
Examples
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At the end of the day, what matters most is that we did the right thing.
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We can argue about the details, but at the end of the day we need to make a decision.
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At the end of the day, customer trust is the foundation of our business.
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He likes to complain, but at the end of the day he always gets the job done.
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At the end of the day, I’d rather have a small team I can rely on than a big team I can’t.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Fixed phrase usually placed sentence-initial or sentence-final: “At the end of the day, …” / “…, at the end of the day.” Not normally changed to “at the end of a day” in the idiomatic sense.
Synonyms
- in the end
- ultimately
- when all is said and done
- at the end of the day (bottom line)
- all things considered
Antonyms
- in the meantime
- for the moment
- on the surface