the latter

noun

1

: the second one of two things or people that have been mentioned

Of these two options, the former is less expensive, while the latter is less risky.

2

: the last thing or person mentioned

Of chicken, fish, and meat, I like the latter best.

3

: the thing or person that has just been mentioned

The President—or, if the latter is too busy, the Vice President—will see you shortly.

Examples of the latter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Creating precision patterns on living organisms is challenging because the latter require very specific conditions in order to thrive, while fabrication techniques typically require harsh environments—the use of corrosive chemicals, for instance, vacuum conditions, or high radiation. —ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2025

The goal was to bottle up the latter stages of Game 4 and finally have a better start. —Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025

Those in the latter category tend to pursue plastic surgery for the wrong reasons. —Charles Trepany, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025

The deal is expected to close in the latter half of this year. —Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 30 Apr. 2025

Rhymes for the latter

• backscatter
• antimatter
• atter
• batter
• blatter
• catarrh
• chatter
• clatter
• fatter
• flatter
• hatter
• matter