last-ditch

1 of 2

adjective

ˈlas(t)-ˌdich 

-ˈdich

1

: fought or conducted from the last ditch : waged with desperation or unyielding defiance

put up a last-ditch resistance

2

: made as a final effort especially to avert disaster

a last-ditch attempt to raise the money

last ditch

2 of 2

noun

: a place of final defense or resort

Examples of last-ditch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But now, in a last-ditch attempt to save the whale, a team has loaded Timmy onto a specialized barge to essentially drag it to the North Sea. —K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 30 Apr. 2026

Masterson’s last-ditch effort to coax a property tax relief constitutional amendment proposal through the Legislature came up short when the House failed to muster enough votes to place the measure on the August ballot. —Matthew Kelly updated April 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026

Noun

Critics of the Administration have predictably dismissed the move as a desperate, last ditch effort on the part of the White House to regain leverage over Tehran. —Ilan Berman, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2026

But his last ditch attempt to flee to safety would fail. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1706, in the meaning defined above