bottom out at

USAGE SUMMARY

"bottom out at" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used when referring to a situation where something has fallen to its lowest possible level. For example, "The market had been steadily falling for several months, but finally bottomed out at its lowest price."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

Mr. Zapatero this week said the recession would bottom out at the end of this year.

The New York Times

Did the market really bottom out at the beginning of October?

The New York Times

Men can conceivably get to 4 percent body fat; women typically bottom out at more than 10 percent.

The New York Times

The White House projected the deficit to bottom out at $496 billion in 2018, then start ticking back up to $593 billion in 2022.

The New York Times

Nortel, which has cut about 50,000 jobs since the beginning of last year, now expects its work force to bottom out at 42,000.

The New York Times

Although some forex traders believe the pound will bottom out at $1.20, the pessimists are predicting parity: one pound buys you one dollar.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

They have won 19 of 26 games since bottoming out at 7-14 on April 25.

The New York Times - Sports

And so the price will sink lower and lower, eventually bottoming out at a penny.

The New York Times - Magazine

Since bottoming out at $14.75 in October, shares of Publicis have come back, closing last week at $34.04.

The New York Times

More recently, the college ran multimillion-dollar deficits every year, with its endowment bottoming out at $100 million after Sept. 11.

The New York Times

His removal made no difference: Citigroup stock was in free fall by then, bottoming out at $10.20 on March 5, 2009.

Harvard Business Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "bottom out at" when referring to a measurable value, such as a stock price or temperature, reaching its lowest point before potentially rising again.

Common error

Avoid using "bottom out at" interchangeably with phrases like "reach a low" if you want to emphasize not just reaching a low point, but also a potential stabilization or reversal of the trend. "Reach a low" simply indicates arriving at a lower value, with no connotation of stabilization.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bottom out at" functions as a phrasal verb indicating the achievement of a minimum level or point. As Ludwig AI confirms, this construction is valid and widely employed. Many examples show how this phrasal verb applies to measurable things such as deficits, body fat, interest rates or currency values.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

25%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Science

8%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "bottom out at" is a commonly used and grammatically correct phrasal verb that describes reaching the lowest point before a potential recovery or stabilization. As verified by Ludwig AI, it’s appropriate for describing trends in diverse contexts like economics, finance, and even personal health. Predominantly featured in "News & Media" and "Academic" sources, it maintains a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal use. When employing this phrase, ensure that you're referring to a situation where a clear low point is reached before a possible change in direction. For alternative wording consider phrases like "reach a low of" or "hit a floor of".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reach a low of

Emphasizes reaching a specific low point.

hit a floor of

Suggests a level below which something cannot fall.

decline to a minimum of

Focuses on the process of declining to a certain minimum level.

fall to the lowest point of

Highlights the act of falling to the absolute lowest level.

touch the nadir at

Uses a more formal term, 'nadir', to indicate the lowest point.

find a trough at

Employs the term 'trough' to denote the lowest point in a cycle or trend.

stabilize at a low level of

Indicates a stabilization after reaching a low point.

level off at the bottom at

Suggests a leveling off at the lowest part of a decline.

sink to its lowest level at

Emphasizes the sinking or declining action to the lowest point.

reach its rock bottom at

Uses the idiom 'rock bottom' to signify the lowest possible point.

FAQs

How is "bottom out at" used in describing economic trends?

In economics, "bottom out at" often describes when a recession or market downturn reaches its lowest point before recovery begins. For example, "Experts predict the economy will "bottom out at" the end of the year".

What are some alternatives to saying "bottom out at"?

Depending on the context, alternatives include "reach a low of", "hit a floor of", or "decline to a minimum of". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "bottom out at" when referring to abstract concepts?

While primarily used for measurable values, "bottom out at" can also describe abstract concepts reaching their lowest point. For instance, "The company's morale "bottomed out at" an all-time low after the layoffs".

What's the difference between "bottoming out" and "bottom out at"?

"Bottoming out" refers to the process of reaching the lowest point, while "bottom out at" specifies the exact value or level where the process concludes. For example, "The stock is "bottoming out"" versus "The stock will "bottom out at" $10".