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
Financial plans fail Jackson County and Kansas City both participated in last-ditch efforts to woo the team to stay before Monday’s meeting in Topeka. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 23 Dec. 2025 In a last-ditch effort of sorts, Eberflus will head to the coaching booth for the remaining three games of the season. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Dec. 2025
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 31 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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