last-ditch effort

Idioms and Phrases

A desperate final attempt, as in We're making a last-ditch effort to finish on time . This expression alludes to the military sense of last ditch , “the last line of defense.” Its figurative use dates from the early 1800s.

Example Sentences

Her husband, Ethan (Mark Duplass), books them a vacation retreat in a last-ditch effort to repair their relationship.

From The Daily Beast

Analysts weighed in, calling the campaign a last ditch effort to save a restaurant on life support.

From The Daily Beast

For women spending upwards of $10,000 in a last-ditch effort to have a baby, such a reduction in chances can be devastating.

From The Daily Beast

It's a last ditch effort that can't be reversed, and it is madness.

From The Daily Beast

Flynn's dive into the MCP turns into a last-ditch effort to get back into the world of actual human beings… and it works.

From The Daily Beast

As with the sixth and seventh resolves, this last-ditch effort made no difference.

From Project Gutenberg