last-ditch

American  

[last-dich, lahst-] / ˈlæstˈdɪtʃ, ˈlɑst- /

adjective

1. done finally in desperation to avoid defeat, failure, disaster, etc..

   a last-ditch attempt to avert war.

2. fought with every resource at one's command.

   a last-ditch battle for the pennant.

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last-ditch British  

noun

1. (modifier) made or done as a last desperate attempt or effort in the face of opposition

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Other Word Forms

• last-ditcher
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of last-ditch

First recorded in 1905–10; last ¹ + ditch

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Explanation

When you make one desperate, final attempt to do something, it's a last-ditch effort. In a last-ditch attempt to win the student council election, you might find yourself promising to put a soft-serve machine in the cafeteria. The term last-ditch comes from William of Orange's 17th-century vow to defend the Dutch Republic from France and Britain to the death. Or as he's reported to have said, "I mean to die in the last ditch." The expression didn't really catch on until around 1900, when people started using it to mean "final attempt." In a last-ditch effort to convince your parents to get a dog, try inundating them with cute puppy photos you find online.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

last-ditch

Before the election, I met with political activist Reem Hazzan as she was working on last-ditch canvassing for a party called Hadash.

From Slate ● Oct. 28, 2026

Sullivan gave Clancy’s attorney a brief window of time to make a last-ditch plea to the state’s highest court to halt the mistrial declaration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Clancy's lawyer led a dramatic last-ditch attempt to halt the mistrial and force a verdict, which was unsuccessful.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

As parliament approved his successor, a few dozen people gathered in a last-ditch effort to voice discontent with Fedorov's dismissal.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

At what was supposed to be my father’s last Council meeting before he took his family north, it was decided they’d make one last-ditch effort to talk to the Governors in the capital.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

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Related Words

• do-or-die
• frantic
• last-gasp

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