last word

American  

noun

1. the closing remark or comment, as in an argument.

   By the rules of debate she would have the last word.

2. a final or definitive work, statement, etc..

   This report is the last word on the treatment of arthritis.

3. the latest, most modern thing.

   Casual hairdos are the last word this season.

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Etymology

Origin of last word

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Richarlison, the pantomime villain, had the last word as he, above all, answered Tudor's call to fight.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

You could say that the Flemish painter, who served in the courts of two 17th-century English kings, created an imposing style of portraiture that was its own last word.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

But France had the last word, deservedly, as more brilliance and enterprise sent Attissogbe away in the corner.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

“But the important thing was getting the last word out.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

She wished her mom could see her right now because unhappy was the last word Ivy would use to describe herself.

From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake