lastditch

Lastditch is a term used in English to refer to a final, desperate attempt or measure to prevent failure, defeat, or loss. It is typically written as last-ditch when used as an adjective (as in a last-ditch effort) and can appear as a noun in some contexts (the last ditch). The expression evokes imagery of a defender’s final line in a fortification, a critical point beyond which retreat is no longer possible.

Originating in military contexts, the phrase has broadened through metaphor to describe any last-resort action taken under extreme pressure. In modern usage, lastditch often signals urgency, high stakes, and a low probability of success, though it can also carry a note of determined perseverance depending on the surrounding context.

Common phrases include a last-ditch effort, a last-ditch defense, and a last-ditch attempt. The term appears across domains such as politics, business, sports, technology, and everyday life, where actors confront imminent risk and must decide whether to gamble on a final move or concede defeat. Related expressions include last-resort, do-or-die, hail Mary, and final-ditch measures, which share the sense of compromising final options under pressure.

See also: last-ditch defense, last-resort solution, do-or-die situation.