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• last minute
  last minute

  noun

  the time just preceding a deadline or when some decisive action must be taken.
• last-minute
  last-minute

  noun

  (modifier) given or done at the latest possible time

last minute

American  

[min-it] / ˈmɪn ɪt /

noun

• last minutes
  plural

1. the time just preceding a deadline or when some decisive action must be taken.

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last-minute British  

noun

1. (modifier) given or done at the latest possible time

   last-minute preparations

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• last-minute
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• last minutes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of last minute

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

last minute last-minute

The UN labour agency chief will face two challengers for his job after a former Peruvian foreign minister entered the race at the last minute, the final candidate list showed Tuesday.

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

Trade talks collapsed at the last minute late on Friday night, with both sides accusing the other of demanding last-minute changes to a tentative deal.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Over the weekend, Carney said US negotiators had sought restrictions on Canadian trade deals with other countries at the last minute.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

Raman tried until the last minute to get the county to remain in LAHSA.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026

The few tapes I owned had all been given to me at one point or another and thrown into my suitcase at the last minute.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

A last-minute bid by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to reduce electric utilities’ wildfire liabilities failed in the state legislature after an outcry from survivors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

Monica Embrey, the founder of Affordable Energy Campaign, called the last-minute amendments “concerning.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026

Ships transiting the Panama Canal book their passage well in advance, and ships without bookings wait an average of five days to get through, but there is an auction where last-minute transits can be purchased.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

Trade talks collapsed at the last minute late on Friday night, with both sides accusing the other of demanding last-minute changes to a tentative deal.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Helping Hamid rush to prepare a last-minute lavish lunch for Khan Sahib had left me tired.

From "Amal Unbound" by Aisha Saeed