Synonyms

last-ditch

American

[last-dich, lahst-] / ˈlæstˈdɪtʃ, ˈlɑst- /

adjective

done finally in desperation to avoid defeat, failure, disaster, etc..

a last-ditch attempt to avert war.
fought with every resource at one's command.

a last-ditch battle for the pennant.

last-ditch British

noun

(modifier) made or done as a last desperate attempt or effort in the face of opposition

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

last-ditcher noun

Etymology

Origin of last-ditch

First recorded in 1905–10; last ¹ + ditch

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But in a last-ditch push, Paramount this week agreed to pay more for a Warner Bros takeover.

From BBC

Iran and the United States held talks in Switzerland on Thursday, in a last-ditch bid to avert war under the shadow of the biggest American military build-up in the Middle East in decades.

From Barron's

The talks are seen as a last-ditch effort to prevent a conflict, but the chances of an agreement remain unclear.

From BBC

Goalkeeper Jerome Prior made a string of superb saves and there were several last-ditch challenges as the West Lothian outfit kept Rangers at bay.

From BBC

He raced into the Newcastle penalty area and when Dan Burn made a last-ditch tackle, the ball bounced off the Egypt forward and looped into the net.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023