last minute
Last minute (adjective) means Done, arranged or decided at the latest possible time before something happens, usually in a hurry. Example: “We booked a last-minute flight to Rome and paid double.”
How to use last minute
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRight at the end, with hardly any time to spare.
Neutral and very common. Written with a hyphen before a noun (a last-minute decision) and without one after a verb (she decided at the last minute).
Say at the last minute for timing. In the last minute means during the final sixty seconds, which is why a football commentator says a goal came in the last minute.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He always leaves his packing until the _____.
Etymology
A literal compound of last and minute, used figuratively for the final moments before a deadline.
Related words
Rhymes for last minute
See all rhymes for last minute →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between "at the last minute" and "in the last minute"?
At the last minute means just before a deadline, with no time to spare: she cancelled at the last minute. In the last minute refers to an actual sixty-second stretch, usually the final one of a match or countdown: they equalised in the last minute. Only the first is idiomatic for general lateness.
Is "last minute" hyphenated?
Hyphenate it when it sits directly before the noun it describes: a last-minute booking. Leave the hyphen out when it works as a noun phrase after a verb or preposition: we booked at the last minute.
Does last-minute always mean badly organised?
No. It describes timing rather than quality, and in travel and retail it often signals a bargain, as in last-minute deals. It only implies poor planning when the context suggests the delay was avoidable.
What is the meaning of last minute?
"last minute" (adjective) means done, arranged or decided at the latest possible time before something happens, usually in a hurry.