last resort

NOUN

a final recourse

Synonyms

WEAK

ace in the hole card up one's sleeve dernier ressort last expedient last hope last resource pis aller recourse resort trump card

ADJECTIVE

last-ditch

Synonyms

STRONG

eleventh-hour final last-ditch

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.

Union members said the strike is a last resort.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

Even a defensive war must be a last resort after all other efforts to prevent aggression have failed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

Friends of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs said removing the bins was a last resort, not a solution.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

Quiet professionals understand that violence is risky and costly, and use it only as a last resort.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

But police involvement was more of a last resort.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall