ˈlas(t)-ˌdich 
-ˈdich
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
: a place of final defense or resort
Examples of last-ditch in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Eric Henderson, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2024
The legal nonprofit Federal Defender Services of Idaho, which represents Creech, had three active appeals filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort to prevent his execution.
—Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2024
The lawsuit, a last-ditch bid to delay the U.S. criminal trial, was settled earlier this month.
—Michael J. De La Merced, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2024
Biden held out hope over the weekend that a deal to pause fighting for six weeks was still possible, as CIA Director William J. Burns toured Middle East capitals in a last-ditch effort to secure a deal before Ramadan.
—Rachel
pannett, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024
Hunt’s Conservative Party is trailing the opposition Labour Party by a wide margin in opinion polls, which had put him under enormous pressure to unveil tax cuts — however small — in a last-ditch bid to win voters.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024
The loss was a stinging defeat for Ukraine, which up until the last minute was still rushing troops to the city in a desperate last-ditch attempt to hold the Russians off.
—Kostiantyn Khudov, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024
After decades of resistance, the apartheid regime seems poised to fall, until a white supremacist shoots and kills Mandela’s popular heir apparent, Chris Hani, in a last-ditch effort to start a civil war.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 29 Feb. 2024
The visitors had an even better opportunity moments later when Marcos Llorente was sent through on goal but Inter defender Stefan de Vrij managed to get back in time for a last-ditch tackle.
—Daniella Matar, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024
Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 8 Jan. 2024
Loch Raven led 55-36 after the third and both coaches emptied their benches for the fourth quarter.
of
Loch Raven’s Brian Thomas pulls up for a 3-pointer while Perry Hall’s Justin Avery makes a last ditch defensive effort.
—Mike Frainie, Baltimore Sun, 16 Feb. 2024
Zelenskyy also met with Congressional leaders early Tuesday as part of a last ditch plea effort to get lawmakers on board with approving additional Ukraine funding.
—Jamie Joseph, Fox News, 12 Dec. 2023
In a last ditch move to delay the bill’s passage in the House on Thursday, Democrats filed dozens of amendments to the proposal, all of which were rejected by Republicans.
—Anthony Izaguirre, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Apr. 2023
The Panthers' last ditch hook-and-ladder attempt failed deep in their own territory and Cleveland escaped victorious.
—Mike Jones, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2022
That effort came down to the wire on Wednesday when the Supreme Court denied a last ditch attempt to delay his execution, declining to review whether or not the jurors at Mitchell's trial in Arizona should have been interviewed for potential bias against Native Americans.
—Clare Hymes, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2020
Riverview would have one last ditch effort to win.
—J. Daniel Pearson, orlandosentinel.com, 27 Nov. 2020
Sabrina Wu, Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, and Stephanie Hsu in 'Joy Ride' | Credit: Ed Araquel/Lionsgate In a last ditch effort to get past airport security on their way out of China, the friends decides to pose as a K-Pop group with hordes of fans.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 17 Mar. 2023
Adjective
There's always the 2045 total solar eclipse As a last-ditch hope for those who opt to stay put no matter where they're located, there's one last meteorological ace-in-the-hole that could offer reprieve, one fueled by the astronomical event itself.
—Eric Henderson, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2024
The legal nonprofit Federal Defender Services of Idaho, which represents Creech, had three active appeals filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort to prevent his execution.
—Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2024
The lawsuit, a last-ditch bid to delay the U.S. criminal trial, was settled earlier this month.
—Michael J. De La Merced, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2024
Biden held out hope over the weekend that a deal to pause fighting for six weeks was still possible, as CIA Director William J. Burns toured Middle East capitals in a last-ditch effort to secure a deal before Ramadan.
—Rachel
pannett, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024
Hunt’s Conservative Party is trailing the opposition Labour Party by a wide margin in opinion polls, which had put him under enormous pressure to unveil tax cuts — however small — in a last-ditch bid to win voters.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024
The loss was a stinging defeat for Ukraine, which up until the last minute was still rushing troops to the city in a desperate last-ditch attempt to hold the Russians off.
—Kostiantyn Khudov, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024
After decades of resistance, the apartheid regime seems poised to fall, until a white supremacist shoots and kills Mandela’s popular heir apparent, Chris Hani, in a last-ditch effort to start a civil war.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 29 Feb. 2024
The visitors had an even better opportunity moments later when Marcos Llorente was sent through on goal but Inter defender Stefan de Vrij managed to get back in time for a last-ditch tackle.
—Daniella Matar, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024
Noun
In a last ditch idea, with one more breathing apparatus failing, doctors decided to pump high-flow oxygen through her nose.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 8 Jan. 2024
Loch Raven led 55-36 after the third and both coaches emptied their benches for the fourth quarter.
of
Loch Raven’s Brian Thomas pulls up for a 3-pointer while Perry Hall’s Justin Avery makes a last ditch defensive effort.
—Mike Frainie, Baltimore Sun, 16 Feb. 2024
Zelenskyy also met with Congressional leaders early Tuesday as part of a last ditch plea effort to get lawmakers on board with approving additional Ukraine funding.
—Jamie Joseph, Fox News, 12 Dec. 2023
In a last ditch move to delay the bill’s passage in the House on Thursday, Democrats filed dozens of amendments to the proposal, all of which were rejected by Republicans.
—Anthony Izaguirre, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Apr. 2023
The Panthers' last ditch hook-and-ladder attempt failed deep in their own territory and Cleveland escaped victorious.
—Mike Jones, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2022
That effort came down to the wire on Wednesday when the Supreme Court denied a last ditch attempt to delay his execution, declining to review whether or not the jurors at Mitchell's trial in Arizona should have been interviewed for potential bias against Native Americans.
—Clare Hymes, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2020
Riverview would have one last ditch effort to win.
—J. Daniel Pearson, orlandosentinel.com, 27 Nov. 2020
Sabrina Wu, Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, and Stephanie Hsu in 'Joy Ride' | Credit: Ed Araquel/Lionsgate In a last ditch effort to get past airport security on their way out of China, the friends decides to pose as a K-Pop group with hordes of fans.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 17 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'last-ditch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near last-ditch
Cite this Entry
“Last-ditch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/last-ditch. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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