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last call

American  
[last kawl] / ˈlæst ˈkɔl /

noun

  1. an announcement made in a bar shortly before service of alcoholic beverages ends (sometimes used attributively): I’m getting too old for last call hookups.

    We do last call 30 minutes before we close the doors, and we stop serving drinks 10 minutes after last call.

    I’m getting too old for last call hookups.


Etymology

Origin of last call

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The last call from Dyson's phone was made on 17 November 2019 and he was reported missing.

From BBC Aug. 6, 2026

I show up 45 minutes before my flight and hope to get there right as they’re doing the last call for boarding so I can walk onto the plane without stopping to make any purchases.

From MarketWatch Feb. 20, 2026

“She’s my first call, last call, all the time,” “Andor” creator Tony Gilroy said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal last year.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 15, 2026

“In the last, call it, two weeks, he hasn’t felt great,” Roberts said.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 1, 2025

At 4:59 an electric bulb in front of me lights up, the last call of my shift.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

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