last-ditch

American

[last-dich, lahst-] / ˈlæstˈdɪtʃ, ˈlɑst- /

adjective

done finally in desperation to avoid defeat, failure, disaster, etc..

a last-ditch attempt to avert war.
fought with every resource at one's command.

a last-ditch battle for the pennant.

last-ditch British

noun

(modifier) made or done as a last desperate attempt or effort in the face of opposition

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

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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.

Pakistan has received praise – and some surprise - on the global stage for its last-ditch clinching of a temporary ceasefire between the warring sides.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

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

But in a last-ditch push, Paramount this week agreed to pay more for a Warner Bros takeover.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

IOC president Kirsty Coventry met with Heraskevych early on Thursday in a last-ditch attempt to persuade him to change his mind before his competition started.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

It was a large, parklike hilltop with a wandering path lined at intervals with information boards describing charges and last-ditch stands and other confused, noisy action.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023