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

Etymology

Origin of last-ditch

First recorded in 1905–10; last ¹ + ditch

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

Its fate now hinges on a last-ditch appeal to Los Angeles County education officials.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026

Green Dot Public Schools, the charter group that has managed Locke for nearly two decades, is mounting a last-ditch appeal of the L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

There had been last-ditch efforts to salvage FCAS.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

The move marks EQT’s last-ditch attempt to reach a friendly deal after some Intertek shareholders signaled, even before the latest offer was disclosed, that they wanted the company to engage with its suitor.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

In a last-ditch effort, he managed to load the camera before the paddy wagon drove off.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

Related Words

• do-or-die
• frantic
• last-gasp