lastresort

Last resort is a term used to describe the final option available when all other alternatives have been exhausted or deemed unsuitable. It implies urgency or high stakes and is usually invoked only after standard methods have failed or are impractical.

Etymology and usage: The phrase originates in English and is typically written as two words, last resort. In some cases, especially in branding, fiction, or computer naming, it may appear as lastresort or last-resort. In formal writing, the hyphenated last-resort is common when used as an adjective (a last-resort measure).

Contexts: In public policy and diplomacy, last-resort actions are typically framed as unavoidable or exceptional, such as coercive diplomacy or military intervention after diplomacy has broken down. In emergency management, last-resort resources include reserve equipment or mutual aid agreements invoked when standard services are overwhelmed. In law, last-resort remedies—such as specific performance or injunctions—may be pursued when other relief is inadequate.

Medicine and science: Last-resort treatments are those used after conventional therapies fail, including experimental drugs or organ transplants, often with substantial risks and limited evidence of efficacy.

Technology: In computing and software, last-resort options include fail-safes, backups, or escalation protocols that are used when normal systems fail.

Caveats: Declaring something a last resort can carry ethical and practical implications, influencing decision making and public perception. See also terms like ultima ratio and last-ditch effort. The concatenated form lastresort may appear in usernames, product names, or branding, but the standard usage remains two words in most formal contexts.