: the lowest or most fundamental part or level
Synonyms
Examples of rock-bottom in a Sentence
Noun
After years of heavy drug use, she has finally reached rock bottom.
Their marriage has hit rock bottom.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alex Veiga, Quartz, 11 Apr. 2024
In an economy with sustained vigor, the rock-bottom interest rates that prevailed during the 2010s might prove too low.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Aging societies with declining populations are already a reality in countries like Italy and Japan, where rock-bottom fertility rates have shrunk the workforce and strained public finances.
—Simon Montlake, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar. 2024
During the pandemic, rock-bottom interest rates and a desire for more space drove a rapid and stunning rise in housing prices.
—The Editors, National Review, 25 Mar. 2024
That’s true in this Midwestern manufacturing town overflowing with well-paying jobs, rock-bottom unemployment and some of the lowest gas, food and housing prices in the nation.
—Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
The German marque’s stylish 4×4, which also tips the scales at over 7,000, earned a rock-bottom score of 20, which was the lowest score from any of the 1,200 vehicles the group looked at.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024
With an initial public offering looming, the fast-fashion merchant Shein is inundating Instagram with ads for clothes and accessories at rock-bottom prices.
—Mike Isaac, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024
There’s no love lost for the gig economy as a whole, which seems to exist solely to humiliate folks already below a rock-bottom financial status.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024
Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Apr. 2024
The index has bounced back since then, from a rock bottom of 50 to the most recent reading of 76.5.
—Greg Petro, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
In early February, vacancy rates in New York City hit rock bottom at just 1.4%.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024
Bloom Nutrition In 2019, Mari Llewellyn hit rock bottom, both mentally and physically.
—Meimei Fox, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024
In recent years, trust between Washington and Beijing has hit rock bottom.
—Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Feb. 2024
The Lions hit rock bottom in 2008, becoming the NFL's first 0-16 team, during the worst nine-season stretch in the league since World War II.
—Larry Lage, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2024
The Orioles traded away Manny Machado in 2018, lost the most games in the majors over a four-year span, and hit rock bottom during a 19-game losing streak in 2021.
—Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2024
Interest in this particular Trader Joe’s product may have hit rock bottom, so to speak.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The rock-bottom mortgage rates that fueled a buying frenzy in 2021 and early 2022 are long gone.
—Alex Veiga, Quartz, 11 Apr. 2024
In an economy with sustained vigor, the rock-bottom interest rates that prevailed during the 2010s might prove too low.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Aging societies with declining populations are already a reality in countries like Italy and Japan, where rock-bottom fertility rates have shrunk the workforce and strained public finances.
—Simon Montlake, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar. 2024
During the pandemic, rock-bottom interest rates and a desire for more space drove a rapid and stunning rise in housing prices.
—The Editors, National Review, 25 Mar. 2024
That’s true in this Midwestern manufacturing town overflowing with well-paying jobs, rock-bottom unemployment and some of the lowest gas, food and housing prices in the nation.
—Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
The German marque’s stylish 4×4, which also tips the scales at over 7,000, earned a rock-bottom score of 20, which was the lowest score from any of the 1,200 vehicles the group looked at.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024
With an initial public offering looming, the fast-fashion merchant Shein is inundating Instagram with ads for clothes and accessories at rock-bottom prices.
—Mike Isaac, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024
There’s no love lost for the gig economy as a whole, which seems to exist solely to humiliate folks already below a rock-bottom financial status.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024
Noun
Over the past year, Washington and Beijing have made important headway in stabilizing relations, which hit rock bottom in 2022 amid disputes in areas such as Taiwan, technology, human rights, and foreign policy.
—Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Apr. 2024
The index has bounced back since then, from a rock bottom of 50 to the most recent reading of 76.5.
—Greg Petro, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
In early February, vacancy rates in New York City hit rock bottom at just 1.4%.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024
Bloom Nutrition In 2019, Mari Llewellyn hit rock bottom, both mentally and physically.
—Meimei Fox, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024
In recent years, trust between Washington and Beijing has hit rock bottom.
—Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Feb. 2024
The Lions hit rock bottom in 2008, becoming the NFL's first 0-16 team, during the worst nine-season stretch in the league since World War II.
—Larry Lage, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2024
The Orioles traded away Manny Machado in 2018, lost the most games in the majors over a four-year span, and hit rock bottom during a 19-game losing streak in 2021.
—Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2024
Interest in this particular Trader Joe’s product may have hit rock bottom, so to speak.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rock-bottom.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near rock-bottom
Cite this Entry
“Rock-bottom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rock-bottom. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
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