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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

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

Charlotte is now claiming universal credit, which she says is a last resort.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

The government can elect to expressly be a buyer of last resort by only supporting suppliers when demand is weak, thus promoting more consistent production.

From Barron's • Mar. 9, 2026

My mother did not have the one hundred cents to take them to the clinic, and no witch doctor, our last resort, was willing to treat them on credit.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane