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

In the latter comment, Smith was referring to film creator Schoenbrun being trans. —Abby Monteil, Them., 31 Oct. 2025

Cramer was positive on AMD and Axon, saying the former is a strong Nvidia competitor and the latter's products are innovative. —Julie Coleman, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025

For the latter, Brewer read up on the reaction to Chappelle's jokes about the LGBTQ community, specifically transgender people. —Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025

Zuckerberg has also developed a close relationship with UFC CEO Dana White, the latter having joined Meta’s board of directors in January 2025. —MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025

Rhymes for the latter

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