Phrase guide

last chance saloon

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌlɑːs(t)tʃɑːns səˈluːn/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌlæs(t)tʃæns-/
  • General-American: /ˌlæs(t)ˌtʃæns səˈlun/
  • General-American: /ˈlæs(t)-/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -uːn

1

noun

Meaning 1

A saloon located at the end of a road or the outskirts of a town.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, Western, historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A place that one is said to inhabit when facing an imminent disaster with diminishing or limited remaining opportunities to avoid it; a last chance to take action.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, figuratively

Examples

  • Unless we find a million pounds by Monday, the company will go bust. We really are in the last chance saloon.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Said to be from the name of a former type of bar or saloon in the United States in the 19th century that offered customers the final opportunity to drink alcohol before passing into an area where alcohol was prohibited or scarce.