eleventh hour

noun

Definition of eleventh hournext
as in crisis
the latest possible time The killer's life was spared at the eleventh hour.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of eleventh hour Getting to public company standards at the eleventh hour is no longer enough. — Brian Waller, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Hayes knows, in soccer, anything can happen; an injury could sideline any team’s biggest star at the eleventh hour. — Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 20 July 2026 And the dysfunction is already jeopardizing other pressing legislative business in the eleventh hour of the 119th Congress, including bipartisan priorities and crucial government funding bills relied on by many Americans. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 16 July 2026 Honda was planning on building its new Zero Series family of EVs in Ohio before pulling the plug on the program at the eleventh hour. — Joel Feder, The Drive, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for eleventh hour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eleventh hour
  1. crisis
  2. emergency
  3. extremity
  4. possibility
  5. climax
  6. situation
  7. zero hour
  8. landmark
Noun
  • The ever-rising risk premium demanded by investors for holding those bonds shows that traders are still unconvinced that the French government has a plan to resolve its budget crisis.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But concrete reef structures powered by artificial intelligence could help to combat the environmental crisis.
    — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of crisis
Noun
  • Rescue operations were complicated, with police firing tear gas at people who had begun looting neighboring shops, as officers sought to clear the area and provide access to emergency response teams.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Around 200 firefighters and emergency personnel ⁠in the area around Berchtesgaden in ​the southern region of Bavaria were battling ​the flames after the building, known as the Kehlsteinhaus, caught fire on Friday, police said.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of emergency
Noun
  • For Applegate, her previous diagnosis of MS had offered an explanation for her ongoing struggle with symptoms including tingling and numbness in her extremities, lack of coordination, balance issues and difficulty walking.
    — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Falcons announced Sunday that Daniels was alert and had movement in all his extremities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of extremity
Noun
  • This discovery establishes a new way to couple mechanical motion and electricity at the smallest scales, opening new possibilities for molecular electronics.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Over the summer, Zuckerberg shared with Meta advisors his plans to relocate outside California to avoid the possibility of a significant reduction in his control over the company as a result of selling enough stock to fund a 5% tax.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of possibility
Noun
  • You may be forgiven for anticipating a potboiler climax when a lush hideaway with a private beach is concerned, and what occurs there is indeed juicy.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The 2026 Formula 1 season is edging closer to its climax, with just six more races to go and the World Champion could be crowned soon, if not this Sunday.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of climax
Noun
  • After Fay described her situation to the agent, Muse returned a two-page fact sheet comparing the cost and coverage of several Medicare Part D plans.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Such businesses can help transform raw observations into practical insights, from comparing conditions over time to assessing how a situation might evolve.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of situation
Noun
  • Nevertheless, this is an improvement on the zero hours that (many) men were doing 50 years ago.
    — Meg Walters, Glamour, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The King video marked the zero hour for new forms of activism using cameras.
    — Will Potter July 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025
Definition of zero hour
Noun
  • Trump’s push to rename geographic landmarks began on his first day back in office.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • If confirmed, the procedure would represent a remarkable landmark in medical science.
    — Mike McRae October 21, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of landmark

Browse Nearby Words

elevations
eleventh hour
eleventh hours
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Cite this Entry

“Eleventh hour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eleventh%20hour. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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