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 Then, in late September, the U.S. seemed to be barreling toward what would have been one of the largest government shutdowns in history but again struck an eleventh hour agreement to keep the government open. Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 28 Dec. 2023 The industry is currently on watch, wondering if that drastic move will actually come to fruition, or if the two sides will come to an armistice at the eleventh hour to avoid an all-out war. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2024 On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, a cease fire (or armistice) went into effect between the Allied nations and Germany, signaling the unofficial end of World War I. Are banks open on Veterans Day? Bychris Morris, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2023 Selected to host, at the eleventh hour, was Jo Koy, a highly successful comedian who’s used to performing in big rooms to thousands of fans, largely about Filipino culture, but here seemed out of proportion, out of his depth and a fish out of water. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2024 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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of eleventh hour was in 1821

Dictionary Entries Near eleventh hour

Cite this Entry

“Eleventh hour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eleventh%20hour. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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