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
Maron got that out of the way in the penultimate episode, which did not feature a guest.
—
Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
This year, Riverdale Ridge hosts Broomfield on Oct. 24 in the penultimate game of the regular season.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2025
The song is a take on the penultimate track from Tinashe’s 2024 album Quantum Baby, with the Disco Lines collab dialing up the BPM, adding an urgent synth production and loading up the track with bright and bouncy electronic flourishes.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2025
Campbell’s heads-up interception on Tampa Bay’s penultimate drive ended the Buccaneers’ greatest threat at a comeback.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penultimate
Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
This year, Riverdale Ridge hosts Broomfield on Oct. 24 in the penultimate game of the regular season.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2025
The song is a take on the penultimate track from Tinashe’s 2024 album Quantum Baby, with the Disco Lines collab dialing up the BPM, adding an urgent synth production and loading up the track with bright and bouncy electronic flourishes.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2025
Campbell’s heads-up interception on Tampa Bay’s penultimate drive ended the Buccaneers’ greatest threat at a comeback.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penultimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penultimate
Adjective
-
On third-and-1 with seven seconds left, Schakel took the snap and tried to spike the ball, which would have stopped the clock and given his team one final play to go for the win.—
Alex Valdes,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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After Flora’s go-ahead punt return score and Payne’s fumble, Becht had two important conversions on the Cyclones’ final drive.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 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 17 Nov. 2025.
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