Last — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective adverb noun /ˈlast/

Meaning & Definition of Last

Last (verb)

  1. to continue in time
  2. to remain fresh or unimpaired, endure
  3. to manage to continue (as in a course of action)
  4. to shape with a last

Last (adjective)

  1. following all the rest
  2. being the only remaining
  3. belonging to the final stage (as of life)

Last (adverb)

  1. after all others, at the end
  2. most lately
  3. in conclusion

Last (noun)

  1. something that is last
  2. a form (as of metal or plastic) which is shaped like the human foot and over which a shoe is shaped or repaired

Last (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. following all others of the same kind in order or time

    "last one in the pool is a rotten egg"

    "fans waiting for the last book in the series to be released"

    similar: bottommost, closing, concluding, final, hindmost, lag, latest, latter, rearmost, terminal, terminating, ultimate
    related: consequent, ensuing, eventual, following, succeeding, conclusive, crowning, decisive, definitive, farthermost, farthest, furthermost, furthest, remotest, lowermost, lowest, nethermost, endmost, extreme, outermost, outmost, utmost, penultimate
    opposite: beginning, earliest, first, foremost, headmost, inaugural, initial, leadoff, maiden, opening, original, pioneer, primary, starting
    near: eminent, premier, superior

  2. serving to put an end to all debate or questioning

    "a book that purports to be the last word on the investigation"

    similar: absolute, clear, conclusive, deciding, decisive, definitive
    related: determinate, determinative, dispositive, hands-down, inarguable, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, irrefutable, unanswerable, undebatable, undeniable, undisputable, unquestionable, unchallenged, uncontested, undisputed, unambiguous, unequivocal, certain, definite, positive, sure, cogent, compelling, convincing, persuasive, telling
    opposite: inconclusive, indecisive, unclear
    near: debatable, disputable, doubtable, doubtful, moot, problematic, questionable, refutable, ambiguous, equivocal, controversial, debated, disputed

  3. of the greatest or highest degree or quantity

    "our last praise should be reserved for those original thinkers who expand the frontiers of science and technology"

    similar: consummate, max, maximum, most, nth, outside, paramount, supreme, top, ultimate, utmost, uttermost
    related: unequaled, unmatched, unparalleled, unrivaled, unsurpassed, biggest, hugest, largest, topmost, upmost, uppermost
    opposite: least, minimal, minimum, slightest
    near: littlest, minutest, smallest, tiniest, lowest, fewest

Last (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to continue to operate or to meet one's needs

    "we were lucky that the batteries lasted until we could get to the store to buy more"

    similar: hold out, hold up, keep up, prevail, survive
    related: bear up, carry on, cope, endure, fare, get along, get by, get on, go, hang in, make out, manage, persevere, abide, continue, draw out, hang on, hold on, linger, persist, remain, run on, stretch
    opposite: fail, fizzle, give out, go out, peter (out), run out
    near: break, break down, collapse, conk (out), crash, cut out, die, expire, stall, stop, run down, wane

  2. to remain indefinitely in existence or in the same state

    "this heavy drought has lasted all summer"

    similar: abide, bide, continue, endure, hold on, hold up, keep up, perdure, persist, remain, run on
    related: linger, stay, stick around, tarry, carry through, prevail, survive
    opposite: cease, close, conclude, desist, die, discontinue, end, expire, finish, lapse, leave off, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up
    near: abate, die (down), ebb, let up, moderate, subside, wane

Related Entry: Last name (noun)

Last name is a different word from Last. The synonyms below are for last name, not for last.

  1. a name shared by members of a family

    "please write your first name, middle initial, and last name at the top of the form"

    similar: family name, surname
    related: maiden name, married name, cognomen, epithet, sobriquet

Related Entry: Last word (noun)

Last word is a different word from Last. The synonyms below are for last word, not for last.

  1. a practice or interest that is very popular for a short time

    "a swimsuit that is the last word in sportswear this season"

    similar: buzz, chic, craze, dernier cri, enthusiasm, fad, fashion, flavor, go, hot ticket, latest, mode, rage, sensation, style, ton, trend, vogue
    related: nine days' wonder, new wave, crush, infatuation, fervor, passion, furor, fuss, hullabaloo, to-do, uproar, bandwagon, crusade, cult, movement, novelty, wrinkle, caprice, fancy, whim
    near: classic, standard

Related Entry: Last minute (noun)

Last minute is a different word from Last. The synonyms below are for last minute, not for last.

  1. 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."

    similar: eleventh hour, boiling point, breaking point, clutch, conjuncture, crisis, crossroad(s), crunch, crunch time, Dunkirk, emergency, exigency, extremity, flash point, head, juncture, tinderbox, zero hour, contingency, possibility, climax, turning point, happening, landmark, milestone, condition, pass, situation, strait, deadlock, impasse, stalemate, corner, fix, hole, hot water, jam, last ditch, pinch, predicament, scrape, spot

Related Entry: Last (beyond) (verb)

Last (beyond) is a different word from Last. The synonyms below are for last (beyond), not for last.

  1. as in persist (beyond), endure (past)

    similar: abide (beyond), endure (past), hold (past), hold out (past), persist (beyond), outstay, draw out, perpetuate, survive, succeed, outlast, outlive, outwear

Related Entry: Last ditch (noun)

Last ditch is a different word from Last. The synonyms below are for last ditch, not for last.

  1. as in spot, hot water

    similar: corner, fix, hole, hot water, jam, pinch, predicament, scrape, spot, deadlock, impasse, stalemate, eleventh hour, last minute, condition, pass, situation, strait, happening, landmark, milestone, climax, turning point, contingency, possibility, boiling point, breaking point, clutch, conjuncture, crisis, crossroad(s), crunch, crunch time, Dunkirk, emergency, exigency, extremity, flash point, head, juncture, tinderbox, zero hour

Related Entry: Last ditches (noun)

Last ditches is a different word from Last. The synonyms below are for last ditches, not for last.

  1. as in spots, hot waters

    similar: corners, fixes, holes, hot waters, jams, pinches, predicaments, scrapes, spots, deadlocks, impasses, stalemates, eleventh hours, last minutes, conditions, passes, situations, straits, happenings, landmarks, milestones, climaxes, turning points, contingencies, possibilities, boiling points, breaking points, clutches, conjunctures, crises, crossroads, crunches, crunch times, Dunkirks, emergencies, exigencies, extremities, flash points, heads, junctures, tinderboxes, zero hours

Related Entry: Last names (noun)

Last names is a different word from Last. The synonyms below are for last names, not for last.

  1. a name shared by members of a family

    "please write your first name, middle initial, and last name at the top of the form"

    similar: family names, surnames
    related: maiden names, married names, cognomens, epithets, sobriquets

Related Entry: Last words (noun)

Last words is a different word from Last. The synonyms below are for last words, not for last.

  1. a practice or interest that is very popular for a short time

    "a swimsuit that is the last word in sportswear this season"

    similar: buzzes, chics, crazes, dernier cris, enthusiasms, fads, fashions, flavors, hot tickets, modes, rages, sensations, styles, tons, trends, vogues
    related: nine days' wonders, new waves, crushes, infatuations, fervors, passions, furors, fusses, hullabaloos, to-dos, uproars, bandwagons, crusades, cults, movements, novelties, wrinkles, caprices, fancies, whims
    near: classics, standards

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Last

The most common words with a similar meaning to Last:

bottommost, closing, concluding, final, hindmost, lag, latest, latter, rearmost, terminal, terminating, ultimate, absolute, clear, conclusive, deciding, decisive, definitive, consummate, max, maximum, most, nth, outside, paramount, supreme, top, utmost, uttermost, hold out, hold up, keep up, prevail, survive, abide, bide, continue, endure, hold on, perdure

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Last

Words with the opposite meaning of Last:

beginning, earliest, first, foremost, headmost, inaugural, initial, leadoff, maiden, opening, original, pioneer, primary, starting, inconclusive, indecisive, unclear, least, minimal, minimum, slightest, fail, fizzle, give out, go out, peter (out), run out, cease, close, conclude

Related Words for Last

consequent, ensuing, eventual, following, succeeding, crowning, farthermost, farthest, furthermost, furthest, remotest, lowermost, lowest, nethermost, endmost, extreme, outermost, outmost, penultimate, determinate, determinative, dispositive, hands-down, inarguable, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, irrefutable, unanswerable

Near Antonyms of Last

eminent, premier, superior, debatable, disputable, doubtable, doubtful, moot, problematic, questionable, refutable, ambiguous, equivocal, controversial, debated, disputed, littlest, minutest, smallest, tiniest, lowest, fewest, break, break down, collapse, conk (out), crash, cut out, stall, run down

Word Forms of Last

Inflections: lasted, lasting, lasts

Derived words: lastly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Last

Middle English, from Old English lǣstan to last, follow; akin to Old English lāst footprint

First known use: before 12th centuryi

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Last

Words & Phrases Containing Last

last-ditch, last ditch, last-gasp, last hurrah

Frequently Asked Questions about Last

What does "Last" mean?

"Last" means to continue in time. As an a verb, an adjective, an adverb and a noun, it is defined as: to continue in time. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Last"?

Other words for "Last" include bottommost, closing, concluding, final, hindmost, lag, latest and latter. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Last" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Last"?

There are 122 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Last". Common alternatives include bottommost, closing, concluding, final, hindmost, lag, latest, latter, rearmost and terminal.

What is the opposite of "Last"?

Antonyms of "Last" include beginning, earliest, first, foremost, headmost, inaugural, initial and leadoff. Near antonyms include eminent, premier, superior and debatable.

How do you use "Last" in a sentence?

Examples of "Last" in a sentence: "last one in the pool is a rotten egg"; "fans waiting for the last book in the series to be released"; "a book that purports to be the last word on the investigation".

Is "Last" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Last" can be used as a verb, an adjective, an adverb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Last" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Last" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Last"?

"Last" is pronounced /ˈlast/.