last
1Idioms about last
Origin of last
1synonym study for last
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH last
last , penultimate, ultimateWords nearby last
Other definitions for last (2 of 4)
Origin of last
2synonym study for last
Other definitions for last (3 of 4)
Origin of last
3OTHER WORDS FROM last
laster, nounOther definitions for last (4 of 4)
Origin of last
4MORE ABOUT LAST
What is a basic definition of last?
Last describes something as being the final in a series or being the most recent occurrence of something. Last also means to take place over a certain length of time. Last has many other senses.
If something is last, it is the finalizer or terminating point. Nothing else will follow after something that is last. Last can apply to anything that involves a series, amount, or order. This sense of last is a superlative of late.
- Real-life examples: When you take the last scoop of ice cream from a container, there will be no more ice cream in the container. The last stop on a bus route is the final one the driver will make before returning to the station or repeating a loop. If you are down to your last dollar, you only have one dollar remaining.
- Used in a sentence: Jonah was behind all the other runners and finished the race last.
Last can also describe something as being the most recent thing that happened or was closest to the current moment. For example, the last person you talked to is the person you spoke to most recently. You’ve spoken to no one else since then. This sense of last is a synonym of the word latest.
- Real-life examples: The night that just happened was last night. The week before this current one was last week. The last thing you ate was the most recent food you ate.
- Used in a sentence: Last year I struggled in math, but this year I understand it much better.
As a verb, last can mean to continue for an amount of time. For example, if a festival lasts for a week, then it goes on for a week before ending.
- Real-life examples: Many television shows last 30 minutes (including the commercials). A party might last all night. A very boring lecture may seem to last forever.
- Used in a sentence: The carnival came to town and lasted all weekend.
In a similar sense, last can mean to exist or be in supply for a certain length of time.
- Used in a sentence: They only have enough water to last for two days.
Where does last come from?
The first records of last come from before the 900s. The adjective form is a variation of the Old English lætest (latest). The verb form comes from the Old English lǣstan, meaning “to follow” or “to go in the tracks of.”
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What are some other forms related to last?
- lastly (adverb)
- laster (noun)
What are some synonyms for last?
What are some words that share a root or word element with last?
What are some words that often get used in discussing last?
How is last used in real life?
Last is a very common word with many different senses. It most often describes something as being the final of something or as being the most recent.
This close to losing it when someone steals the last slice:
🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏
🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏
🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏
🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏
🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏
🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏🤏— Domino's Pizza (@dominos) September 17, 2020
If you can’t tell by the tone of my last tweet, I’m watching Die Hard 😂 I think I’m absorbing McClane by osmosis.
— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) December 17, 2020
Office for National Statistics estimates 567,300 people in England had COVID-19 last week compared to 481,500 the previous week
— Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) December 18, 2020
Try using last!
True or False?
The letter Z is the last letter in the English alphabet.