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last

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective last contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of last are final, terminal, and ultimate. While all these words mean "following all others (as in time, order, or importance)," last applies to something that comes at the end of a series but does not always imply that the series is completed or stopped.

last page of a book
last news we had of him

When is it sensible to use final instead of last?

In some situations, the words final and last are roughly equivalent. However, final applies to that which definitely closes a series, process, or progress.

final day of school

When can terminal be used instead of last?

The synonyms terminal and last are sometimes interchangeable, but terminal may indicate a limit of extension, growth, or development.

terminal phase of a disease

When is ultimate a more appropriate choice than last?

While in some cases nearly identical to last, ultimate implies the last degree or stage of a long process beyond which further progress or change is impossible.

the ultimate collapse of the system

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 last
Adjective
Johnson’s concerns are rooted in efforts last decade by healthcare advocates to have Blue Shield declared a charitable organization and to dig into its assets to improve patient care as a condition of its approval to acquire Care1st. Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2025 The first payments from Canada's digital services tax, which was enacted last year and applies retroactively to 2022, were initially set to be collected Monday. Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 30 June 2025
Verb
An emergency order DeSantis issued in September 2022 ahead of Hurricane Ian is still active today, and an emergency order DeSantis issued when the condo tower in Surfside collapsed lasted for nearly two years. Ana Ceballos, Miami Herald, 28 June 2025 Johnson pulled a similar move in 2021 by having the clerk read the entire American Rescue Plan, an endeavor that lasted six hours. Al Weaver, The Hill, 28 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for last
Recent Examples of Synonyms for last
Adjective
  • As most readers already know, the Beatles’ final U.S. tour closed the door on touring altogether.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Few Republicans appeared fully satisfied as the final package emerged, in either the House or the Senate.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • The series had a rather shocking ending, and in some ways, seemed pretty conclusive.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • Those observations proved less conclusive than had been hoped, but during the rest of the voyage, Cook was able to map the coastland of New Zealand before sailing west to the southeastern coast of Australia—the first record of Europeans on the continent's Eastern coastline.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • In Europe, the Stoxx 600 is up 6.7%, and in Asia, most major markets are in positive territory, with Hong Kong and South Korea posting a whopping 20% gain year to date.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 1 July 2025
  • Mike Stawski, who was on the retreat as a student leader, noticed right away that Prevost was different from most priests.
    Belinda Luscombe, Time, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • The measure narrowly survived the Senate after a marathon session ended with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote Tuesday.
    Caitlin Yilek July 1, CBS News, 1 July 2025
  • To survive, pedal builders are doing something unusual in a competitive business: turning to one another for help.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • But for most organizations, that mirror has remained foggy.
    Richard Lebovitz, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • Game support remains problematically limited, but Samsung has plans to fix that soon.
    Luke Larsen, Wired News, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • The shooting happened the day before the fifth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that killed 17 and is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S.
    Joey Cappelletti and Mike Householder, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Feb. 2023
  • The video is the latest in a lengthy stream of controversies the probation department has faced in recent years.
    James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • February 2025 Queen of Swords: February’s energy is pushing you to set clear boundaries and make decisive moves, especially in your financial or professional life this month.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 July 2025
  • Netflix, naturally, has only accelerated its investment in Korean entertainment, carving out a decisive leadership position in the country’s premium online video sector ahead of Korea’s top local players.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • The prevailing viewpoint is that once intelligence begins feeding off other intelligence, a rapid chain reaction will arise.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Much of the premature optimism about a settlement earlier this year sprang from the prevailing belief that Ukraine was losing and would soon be forced to negotiate out of desperation.
    Michael Carpenter, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Last.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/last. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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