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
Zayas' Angel, who's been with the franchise since day one, unfortunately bit the dust, having been shot by Dinklage's Prater in the penultimate episode.
—
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Oct. 2025
Atlanta has had a woeful season and sits in penultimate place in the East with one win on the road.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Plus, Magneto ripped out all the adamantium from Wolverine’s body in the penultimate episode, so there’s lots to explore in Season 2.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Sutton converted a third-down on the penultimate play of the third quarter, then kept a key field goal march in the fourth alive with a 16-yard grab on a fade ball thrown by Bo Nix.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penultimate
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Oct. 2025
Atlanta has had a woeful season and sits in penultimate place in the East with one win on the road.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Plus, Magneto ripped out all the adamantium from Wolverine’s body in the penultimate episode, so there’s lots to explore in Season 2.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Sutton converted a third-down on the penultimate play of the third quarter, then kept a key field goal march in the fourth alive with a 16-yard grab on a fade ball thrown by Bo Nix.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penultimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penultimate
Adjective
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Diagonal passes to onrushing full-backs has proven to be another effective route around the high defensive line, as Inter targeted Denzel Dumfries with 14 long balls out to his flank across the two-legged Champions League semi-final tie with Barcelona last season.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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But the tone of those attacks have amped up in recent days, drawing allegations from some Democrats that Cuomo’s campaign is leaning into Islamophobia in the final stretch of the campaign.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 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 3 Nov. 2025.
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