last-ditch effort

Idioms  

1. A desperate final attempt, as in We're making a last-ditch effort to finish on time. This expression alludes to the military sense of last ditch, “the last line of defense.” Its figurative use dates from the early 1800s.

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Example Sentences

In a last-ditch effort to get back to Duke, Bior obtained a special refugee passport, issued by Uganda, that he hopes will allow him to bypass the South Sudan visa ban.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

I’m making a last-ditch effort to make it work with a financial planner and marriage counselor.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 9, 2025

Meanwhile, Routh’s defense filed a last-ditch effort to have the final two firearm charges against him dropped under a Second Amendment claim.

From Salon • Jun. 28, 2025

The group’s last-ditch effort to reach homeowners is a letter.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2025

Magical energy from Merriweather’s wands crashed into him—a last-ditch effort on Merriweather’s part—but the Ifrit just shrugged it off.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley