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

By the time his freshman season began, Mestemaker had risen from a last-ditch option to the No. 2 quarterback on the roster.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 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

Then, in a last-ditch effort to fend off Hong’s insurgency, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who had previously suspended his campaign, reentered the race less than a month before polls opened.

From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026

The ex-officer, Eric Halem, made a last-ditch request for new trial that was rejected by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mildred Escobedo.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Now the hoodlums were mounting a last-ditch effort to get us out of school before May 29.

From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals

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Related Words

• do-or-die
• frantic
• last-gasp

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