as in final
formal
occurring immediately before the last one; next to the last
the penultimate chapter of the book the penultimate syllable of the word
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of penultimate
The penultimate episode ends with a bomb detonating at 10 Downing Street, the office of the prime minister.
—
Randall Colburn, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
The penultimate episode, Episode 4, is the showstopper here.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 21 Aug. 2025
This year's fair closed early on Aug. 9, its penultimate date, due to flash flooding.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Following a penultimate show in Kazakhstan on Sunday, Lopez is set to close out the trek on Tuesday (Aug. 12) in Italy.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penultimate
Randall Colburn, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
The penultimate episode, Episode 4, is the showstopper here.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 21 Aug. 2025
This year's fair closed early on Aug. 9, its penultimate date, due to flash flooding.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Following a penultimate show in Kazakhstan on Sunday, Lopez is set to close out the trek on Tuesday (Aug. 12) in Italy.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penultimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penultimate
Adjective
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After defeating the Twins, the Royals remained just a game behind the Seattle Mariners (74-68) for the third and final wild-card spot.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The moratorium provision was ultimately stripped from the bill before final passage.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Penultimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penultimate. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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