last minute

noun

Definition of last minutenext
as in crisis
the last possible time when something can be done You shouldn't wait until the last minute before planning your retirement. They were making changes to the show right up to the last minute.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for last minute
  1. crisis
  2. emergency
  3. extremity
  4. possibility
  5. climax
  6. eleventh hour
  7. milestone
  8. zero hour
Noun
  • In the special released on Tuesday, the comedian shared new details about his 2023 health crisis.
    Ashley Hume, Fox News, 15 Dec. 2024
  • Globally: The International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide have contact information for crisis centers around the world.
    Amanda Musa, CNN, 15 Dec. 2024
Definition of crisis
Noun
  • Breed was one of the first large-city mayors in the country to declare a state of emergency during the pandemic, something that was credited with saving countless lives.
    Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 Dec. 2024
  • European countries are preparing for possible conflicts with Russia in numerous other ways, including warning people to stockpile food sufficient for at least 72 hours in the event of an emergency.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Definition of emergency
Noun
  • The good news is that the tight end was showing movement in his extremities, but the medical staff immediately placed him on a backboard to be carted off the field.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2024
  • Castro said the sergeant, whose name was not released, suffered bullet wounds to his lower extremities.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2024
Definition of extremity
Noun
  • Despite that possibility, FOX Sports' Rowan Kavner is predicting Hernández will remain in Hollywood after signing a three-year deal.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
  • This may even spark a photo shoot or two—the possibilities are endless!
    Sherri Gordon, Parents, 17 Dec. 2024
Definition of possibility
Noun
  • The escape that physical intimacy and the act of climax provide is as fleeting as the climax itself, pushing Lee to go beyond the physical and seek out even deeper ways to connect, namely telepathy, by the film’s end.
    David Opie, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
  • In the film’s stirring climax, when Berniece’s encounter with the instrument becomes a moment of revelation, Deadwyler digs into the depths of Berniece’s rage, grief and vulnerability.
    David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of climax
Noun
  • An armistice between the Allied nations and Germany began officially on Nov. 11, 1918 — the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
    John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Nov. 2024
  • Lazio submitted a formal offer, having come close to signing the 22-year-old on loan at the eleventh hour during the previous summer.
    Mark Critchley, The Athletic, 23 July 2024
Definition of eleventh hour
Noun
  • Snoop is now up to a dozen top 10s, while Dre collects his milestone tenth appearance between Nos. 1 and 10 with his latest collaboration.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
  • During his initial stint with Front Row Motorsports, Lawson achieved significant milestones.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Definition of milestone
Noun
  • Fighting, however, continued up to the zero hour, with Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon far into the night.
    Scott Neuman, NPR, 27 Nov. 2024
  • English learners can attend a specialized class for learning to speak and write can be accomplished with a before-school (zero hour) or after-school period.
    Madeleine Parrish, The Arizona Republic, 8 Oct. 2024
Definition of zero hour
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near last minute

lastly

last minute

last minutes

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Last minute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/last%20minute. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on last minute

Nglish: Translation of last minute for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

Point of View: It's Personal

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
naughty or nice
Are you naughty or nice? Quiz He's making a quiz, and checking it twice...