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 Why the eleventh hour came with an extra second, killing time proved impossible, and time fails to fly in Ann Arbor. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026 Fox arrived on the production at the eleventh hour after the production’s original Romeo, Richard Madden, and then his understudy were indisposed. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2026 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 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
  • For Maslanka, their response meant more than simply surviving a medical crisis.
    — Robbie Owens, CBS News, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Saturday’s attack comes as casualties surge in Yemen, where the years long conflict has dragged the country into a severe humanitarian crisis.
    — Clarissa Ward, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of crisis
Noun
  • Law enforcement were asking people to avoid the area and allow emergency personnel to conduct their investigation safely.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Unreleased | Getty Images A spate of bomb threats against passenger flights has forced diversions, emergency landings and military escorts across European airspace this week, stoking fear among passengers and heaping pressure on airlines.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of emergency
Noun
  • Neither of the first two updates relieved concerns about whether Campbell had movement in his extremities, either.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The sit-to-stand exercise is also widely regarded as a useful indicator of lower-extremity strength and fall risk in older adults.
    — Kristen Gasnick, Verywell Health, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of extremity
Noun
  • Kotlikoff said the university needed to determine whether fraternities could operate safely and left open the possibility of sweeping restrictions on Greek life.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The public stance remains, as the statement Friday reads, that Hammond remains the site where due diligence is being finalized and is very much a possibility.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of possibility
Noun
  • The scene comes out of nowhere, as the family are watching The Muppet Show, and climaxes with David having his throat slit.
    — Vulture Editors, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
  • As Melanie, Mitch, and his family try to stay safe inside his family home, the film comes to its truly unsettling climax.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of climax
Noun
  • The key is to approach sensitive situations with empathy, flexibility and respect for individual boundaries.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 Nov. 2026
  • But its unique situation in Miami-Dade has rankled many local public school advocates, who see the money and lobbying heft put into them as a political project to undermine traditional public schools.
    — Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 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
  • Head south to the island’s iconic beachside landmark, Hotel del Coronado, which instantly puts visitors in vacation mode.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Nov. 2026
  • The Audiovisual Next Gen program was announced in September at the landmark Lumière Summit, which brought together key industry players and government decision-makers from across the globe to explore the future of film.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 12 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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