ultimate
Americanadjective
-
last; furthest or farthest; ending a process or series.
the ultimate point in a journey; the ultimate style in hats.
-
maximum; decisive; conclusive.
the ultimate authority; the ultimate weapon.
- Synonyms:
- supreme
-
highest; not subsidiary.
ultimate goal in life.
-
basic; fundamental; representing a limit beyond which further progress, as in investigation or analysis, is impossible.
the ultimate particle; ultimate principles.
-
final; total.
the ultimate consequences; the ultimate cost of a project.
- Antonyms:
- first
-
not to be improved upon or surpassed; greatest; unsurpassed.
the ultimate vacation spot; the ultimate stupidity.
noun
-
the final point; final result.
-
a fundamental fact or principle.
-
the best, greatest, or most extreme of its kind.
adjective
-
conclusive in a series or process; last; final
an ultimate question
-
the highest or most significant
the ultimate goal
-
elemental, fundamental, basic, or essential
-
most extreme
genocide is the ultimate abuse of human rights
-
final or total
an ultimate cost of twenty million pounds
noun
Related Words
See last 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ultimate
First recorded in 1645–55; from Late Latin ultimātus (past participle of ultimāre “to come to an end”), equivalent to Latin ultim(us) “last, most distant” + -ātus past participle suffix; see ultima, -ate 1
Explanation
The last in a series can be described as the ultimate. A cheeky kid, when asked what she wants to be when she grows up, might say, "I want to be an actress, a singer, and a veterinarian, but my ultimate goal is to be President of the United States." A definition for the adjective ultimate is the furthest in space or time or the highest in degree or order. Traveling for business, you are flying first to London, then to Portugal, but your ultimate destination is South Africa. The kids ask you if they can invite friends over to play video games. It's a good idea to reply, "Mom isn't home from work yet and she's ultimate authority on the schedule."
Vocabulary lists containing ultimate
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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Starting Your New Life: Inspiring Words from Commencement Speeches
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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.
When the market has finally sucked the available supply buffers dry, that could be the ultimate catalyst for the next significant leg higher in oil, she told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
But Rooney says he is in two minds about whether Slot should pay the ultimate price for performances.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
"Our ultimate goal is to build a democratic China," Tang said.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
His ultimate goal is for them to return to church.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
This is the ultimate warning, and Aunt Nancy hears it loud and clear.
From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers
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.
