eleventh hour
noun
: the latest possible time before it is too late
still making changes at the eleventh hour
Examples of eleventh hour in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Inventories will be slimmer in the eleventh hour, but hotels may still cut prices on unsold rooms.
—
Harriet Baskas, NBC News, 19 Nov. 2023
Even the Pakistan cricket team were only able to obtain visas at the eleventh hour, after complaints of a delay in the process which the Pakistan Cricket Board said disrupted the team’s preparation for the event.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN, 12 Oct. 2023
Period dramas were out of fashion among film buyers at the time, apparently, and a key financier pulled out of the project at the eleventh hour.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2023
The newly mature Leon is thoughtful and expansive, yet there is something garish about his transformation at the eleventh hour.
—Jasmine Liu, The New Republic, 4 Aug. 2023
Budget disagreements typically drag out as both parties fight to include their own priorities, with a final deal often not made until the eleventh hour after a marathon voting session.
—Cami Mondeaux, Washington Examiner, 26 July 2023
Despite the eleventh hour switcheroo, which almost certainly diminished some support, 49 Democrats and 98 Republicans still joined to support, although the measure fell short of passage.
—Time, 17 July 2023
Despite the involvement of a federal mediator who was brought in at the eleventh hour to help resolve the conflict, groups representing the actors and the studios were unable to agree to a new film and TV contract before a Wednesday night deadline.
—Anousha Sakoui, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2023
The bill making this policy a reality passed out of the General Assembly in the eleventh hour, hitting Democratic Gov. Wes Moore’s desk minutes ahead of the legislature’s midnight deadline on the last day of the 2023 legislative session.
—Hannah Gaskill, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2023
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Harriet Baskas, NBC News, 19 Nov. 2023
Even the Pakistan cricket team were only able to obtain visas at the eleventh hour, after complaints of a delay in the process which the Pakistan Cricket Board said disrupted the team’s preparation for the event.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN, 12 Oct. 2023
Period dramas were out of fashion among film buyers at the time, apparently, and a key financier pulled out of the project at the eleventh hour.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2023
The newly mature Leon is thoughtful and expansive, yet there is something garish about his transformation at the eleventh hour.
—Jasmine Liu, The New Republic, 4 Aug. 2023
Budget disagreements typically drag out as both parties fight to include their own priorities, with a final deal often not made until the eleventh hour after a marathon voting session.
—Cami Mondeaux, Washington Examiner, 26 July 2023
Despite the eleventh hour switcheroo, which almost certainly diminished some support, 49 Democrats and 98 Republicans still joined to support, although the measure fell short of passage.
—Time, 17 July 2023
Despite the involvement of a federal mediator who was brought in at the eleventh hour to help resolve the conflict, groups representing the actors and the studios were unable to agree to a new film and TV contract before a Wednesday night deadline.
—Anousha Sakoui, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2023
The bill making this policy a reality passed out of the General Assembly in the eleventh hour, hitting Democratic Gov. Wes Moore’s desk minutes ahead of the legislature’s midnight deadline on the last day of the 2023 legislative session.
—Hannah Gaskill, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eleventh hour.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1821, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Eleventh hour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eleventh%20hour. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
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