ultimate 1 of 2

Definition of ultimatenext

ultimate

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ultimate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of ultimate are final, last, and terminal. While all these words mean "following all others (as in time, order, or importance)," ultimate implies the last degree or stage of a long process beyond which further progress or change is impossible.

the ultimate collapse of the system

When would final be a good substitute for ultimate?

The words final and ultimate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, final applies to that which definitely closes a series, process, or progress.

final day of school

In what contexts can last take the place of ultimate?

While the synonyms last and ultimate are close in meaning, last applies to something that comes at the end of a series but does not always imply that the series is completed or stopped.

last page of a book
last news we had of him

When could terminal be used to replace ultimate?

The synonyms terminal and ultimate are sometimes interchangeable, but terminal may indicate a limit of extension, growth, or development.

terminal phase of a disease

How does the adjective ultimate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of ultimate are final, last, and terminal. While all these words mean "following all others (as in time, order, or importance)," ultimate implies the last degree or stage of a long process beyond which further progress or change is impossible.

the ultimate collapse of the system

When would final be a good substitute for ultimate?

The words final and ultimate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, final applies to that which definitely closes a series, process, or progress.

final day of school

In what contexts can last take the place of ultimate?

While the synonyms last and ultimate are close in meaning, last applies to something that comes at the end of a series but does not always imply that the series is completed or stopped.

last page of a book
last news we had of him

When could terminal be used to replace ultimate?

The synonyms terminal and ultimate are sometimes interchangeable, but terminal may indicate a limit of extension, growth, or development.

terminal phase of a disease

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ultimate
Adjective
While the ultimate impact of these cases remains uncertain, experts say the mounting legal and public pressure could portend major changes in how companies design their apps, deliver content and integrate safety features into their platforms. Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026 Karahan credited the ultimate success of his developments at Legacy to his strategy. Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
Loro Piana was a master class experience in the ultimate of Italian refinement and materiality. Luisa Zargani, WWD, 2 Mar. 2025 Mira Chai Hyde has a client roster that reads like the ultimate who’s who. Caroline Reilly, Robb Report, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ultimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ultimate
Adjective
  • On the hotel's top floor, this is the kind of space that hosts heads of state, celebrities, and executives who require maximum grandeur.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026
  • More than a thousand other records were set for daily maximum temperatures or warm overnight lows.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The only trick now is for the league to get a team to the final Monday night of the season and actually cut down the nets.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
  • This is typically the final stage of testing before a drug can be submitted for regulatory approval.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • That's close to the farthest point in its orbit, which is 252,088 miles away, according to NASA.
    Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2023
  • At its farthest, the capsule was more than 268,000 miles from Earth.
    Marcia Dunn, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Dec. 2022
Noun
  • Variable rates may increase after consummation.
    Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026
  • If the first four episodes of Bridgerton’s swoon-worthy fourth season were about desperate, hungry yearning, then the final four were more about, er, consummation—complete with secret trysts, steaming hot baths, false identities, and genuinely big shocks.
    Radhika Seth, Vogue, 26 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • That match with Fonseca was power tennis at its utmost.
    Ava Wallace, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Guests are pampered in personal huts that provide the utmost in privacy and silence and can choose from a full menu of options, including massages and facials that highlight local traditions and skin-healthy ingredients.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Miles is a brilliant basketball player, comparable to a painter or actor with her showmanship on the court and a mind that operates at a different level than most other athletes.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Polls suggest that most people want owners to pay for their own stadiums, but sports teams are desired and beloved, a source not only of entertainment but also of civic pride.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The video is the latest in a lengthy stream of controversies the probation department has faced in recent years.
    James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023
  • The shooting happened the day before the fifth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that killed 17 and is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S.
    Joey Cappelletti and Mike Householder, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Feb. 2023
Noun
  • From a 19th- 20th-century perspective, the Lehman brothers were the shining epitome of the American Dream.
    Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
  • But for Dena Cowen, curator of collections at Tucson’s Mission Garden, the large desert succulents are the epitome of a climate-smart crop.
    John Leos, AZCentral.com, 29 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ultimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ultimate. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on ultimate

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster