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 confessions were a last-ditch effort by Bundy to avoid the electric chair. Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 8 Aug. 2025 And John Hendricks, who called me in 1985 in a last-ditch play to help save his struggling but promising network called Discovery. John Malone, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
In a last ditch effort, the determined rescuers brought in an excavator and devised a plan that would save the animal’s life. Ronnie Li, USA Today, 30 July 2025 The use of force was a last ditch effort to end a nuclear program built and backed by a government intent not only on terrorizing its own people but also on exporting mayhem abroad. Hadley Gamble, semafor.com, 24 June 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 20 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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