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Showing results for last resort.
Definitions

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.

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

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

They said they work closely with participants to improve their behavior — and turn to expulsion only as a last resort.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

A last resort would be a conservatorship, which is an involuntary process and takes place when a person is unable to take care of their finances.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026

That has led some to argue it is being used beyond the general understanding that it would only be used as a last resort.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

So she went to Mama Yemo Hospital, the hospital of last resort for the city’s poor, and spent hours waiting in a casualty ward jammed with ragged people and children.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston