end of the day

E

end of the day

Meaning

• to look at all the possibilities and then to make a final decision
• something that is said before the final facts are supplied
• literally when your hours at work or your time of being awake ends
• a cliché that means when all has been said and done

Example Sentences

1. At the end of the day, I have decided that law school would be the best path for me.
2. I will listen to all of your opinions, but at the end of the day I will decide where we go on holiday.
3. At the end of the day, I am the one who has to live in the house that I buy.
4. At the end of the day I put my computer off and go home to my family.
5. I am so tired at the end of the day that I fall asleep in front of the television most nights.
6. At the end of the day we were all happy with the decision.

Origin

The earliest use of the phrase can be traced back to the 1800s, it has, however, gained popularity since the 1980s. Even in a sermon that was published in 1826, it seems to have the same meaning as the idiom that we use today.

Days, End