adjective B2 Upper-Intermediate

last minute

last MIN-it

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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.”

adjective

Done, arranged or decided at the latest possible time before something happens, usually in a hurry.

"We booked a last-minute flight to Rome and paid double."

"There was a last-minute change to the running order."

noun

The short period immediately before a deadline or event, when there is almost no time left.

"He always leaves his packing until the last minute."

"Ticket prices drop at the last minute if the show hasn't sold out."

How to use last minute

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishRight at the end, with hardly any time to spare.

When to use it

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).

Memory tip

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 ↓

Easily confused with

at the last minute in the last minute

Common pairings

last-minute change last-minute deal leave it to the last minute last-minute panic last-minute goal

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “last minute” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

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.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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eleventh-hour late hurried rushed emergency

Antonyms

advance early planned

Related words

time other go back come early late soon

Rhymes for last minute

ute jute cute mute lute flute acute haute brute chute route 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.

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