hit bottom

hit bottom — idiom

1. to reach the worst possible level or situation, especially when conditions canno

1.idiomB2
Definition

to reach the worst possible level or situation, especially when conditions cannot get any worse and may start to improve from that point

Example

After months of falling prices, the stock market hit bottom in March and began to recover.

hit + bottom in financial contexts

Roya knew she had hit bottom when she could not pay for food or rent.

had hit bottom — perfect tense for completed lowest point

Common collocations
  • stock market hits bottom
  • economy hit bottom
  • sales hit bottom
  • hit bottom and began to recover
  • had hit bottom
Synonyms
  • bottom out

    more common in economic/financial writing; suggests reaching the lowest level before stabilizing

  • reach rock bottom

    more informal and emphatic; often used for personal situations

  • touch bottom

    less common variant of the same idiom

Antonyms
  • peak

    to reach the highest point or level

  • recover

    to return to a better state after a low point

Usage Note

Frequently used to describe financial markets, economic indicators, or personal circumstances reaching the lowest possible level. Often followed by a recovery or improvement.

Common Mistakes

Our profits hit the bottom last year.
Our profits hit bottom last year.
The idiom does not include an article before 'bottom'.