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.

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

The actor stars in a soaring, witty space epic, based on the novel by Andy Weir, about a man on a last-ditch mission to protect the sun from a microscopic but urgent threat.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

George Ford's failed drop-goal felt like a last-ditch option, which then resulted in what Borthwick described as a 10-point swing.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026

Max Beier almost put Dortmund ahead in the first half but his effort was deflected by Denis Vavro's last-ditch block onto the underside of the bar.

From Barron's • Feb. 7, 2026

Ford made a last-ditch appeal to Congress for economic aid to South Vietnam, but his request was refused.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge

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