last word
Americannoun
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the closing remark or comment, as in an argument.
By the rules of debate she would have the last word.
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a final or definitive work, statement, etc..
This report is the last word on the treatment of arthritis.
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the latest, most modern thing.
Casual hairdos are the last word this season.
Etymology
Origin of last word
First recorded in 1880–85
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.
As the June 2 primary nears, the candidates are likely to be more active than ever on social media, in targeted ads and on broadcast television, each hoping to get in the last word.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
While helpful, those numbers are not the last word, the spokesperson noted.
From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026
In a statement released Wednesday, Live Nation said: “The jury’s verdict is not the last word on this matter. Pending motions will determine whether the liability and damages rulings stand.”
From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026
Richarlison, the pantomime villain, had the last word as he, above all, answered Tudor's call to fight.
From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026
The sound of the last word, the way I draw out the vowel, makes me hear how much I wanted that.
From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
