last resort

noun

: something done only if nothing else works
Asking for more time should be our last resort.

Examples of last resort in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Importantly, the standards made clear that seclusion was meant to be a last resort and should not be used as punishment. Paige Pfleger, ProPublica, 16 Nov. 2023 Using restraints is meant to be a last resort in the face of a patient’s agitation in order to keep health care workers and others around them safe. Anika Nayak, STAT, 25 Sep. 2023 Also, in abolishing the Central Bank, full dollarization would deprive Argentina of a lender of last resort, which would make its financial system even more fragile. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2023 In America’s overwhelmed downtowns, private security guards like Michael Bock have become the solution of last resort. Matt Flegenheimer, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2023 There might be a need to enter the tunnels to rescue hostages, as a measure of last resort. Foreign Affairs, 9 Nov. 2023 In these cases, court records show, hospitals often turn to guardianships, even though they are widely considered a last resort and difficult to reverse. Mary Jordan, Washington Post, 4 Nov. 2023 Restraints can be used only when other steps have failed and are widely discouraged by psychiatric professionals, seen as a measure of last resort that frays trust and can traumatize patients. Ben Poston, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2023 The only insurer who would pick up their policy was the state insurer of last resort, Louisiana Citizens. Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'last resort.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near last resort

Cite this Entry

“Last resort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/last%20resort. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.

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