# bottom out

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bottom-out
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to reach the lowest level or the worst point of a situation. You use this when things stop getting worse and are about to get better.

For teachers: to reach the lowest point of a cyclical decline or a downward trend. The verb is intransitive and functions to indicate the end of a negative trajectory before a potential recovery.

## Examples

- The price of gold seems to have bottomed out at last.
- After months of declining sales, the company's performance finally bottomed out in December.
- While some analysts argued that the currency had bottomed out, others warned of further volatility due to the unstable political climate.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The market bottomed out the prices." but "The market prices bottomed out." — This phrasal verb is intransitive and cannot be followed by a direct object.

## Usage notes

- Used mostly for economic trends, prices, or long-term situations rather than short-term events.
- Teaching tip: Help students visualize a 'U' shape on a graph to understand that this phrase implies the end of a downward trend.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.