last-ditch

1 of 2

adjective

1
: fought or conducted from the last ditch : waged with desperation or unyielding defiance
put up a last-ditch resistance
2
: made as a final effort especially to avert disaster
a last-ditch attempt to raise the money

last ditch

2 of 2

noun

: a place of final defense or resort

Examples of last-ditch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has rejected Russian cross-country skiing star Alexander Bolshunov’s last-ditch attempt to be allowed to compete as an Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN) at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Matt Slater, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026 With nothing to lose, Asher decided to give CBD a try as a last-ditch effort to save his dog. Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
So Ellison texted Zaslav in what now reads as a last ditch effort to get a deal over the line. Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Dec. 2025 Forget the flimsy strips of aluminum around the edges of the pie as a last ditch effort. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for last-ditch

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1706, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of last-ditch was in 1706

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Cite this Entry

“Last-ditch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/last-ditch. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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