in the final analysis

English

Alternative forms

• in the last analysis
• in the ultimate analysis (rare)

Etymology

Calque of French en dernière analyse.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Prepositional phrase

in the final analysis

1. (idiomatic) All things considered; when all is said and done; in conclusion, basically and fundamentally.
   • 1990, United States. Congress House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, page 90:

     I have not been personally in a conversation with anybody in the Astronaut Office that is antirobotic for some philosophical reason. They are a group of people who, in the final analysis, have the responsibility to get the job done.

Synonyms

• at bottom; see also Thesaurus:fundamentally

References

• OED (2nd ed., 1989), “analysis” I.1.c.