Phrase guide

last resort

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.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The only remaining, often least desirable, option when all others have been excluded.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • I wouldn't recommend doing surgery on yourself, unless it is a last resort.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: last refuge

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

an expedient adopted only in desperation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • `pis aller' is French for `worst going'

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pis aller

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: expedient

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

35 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 最後的一招 /最后的一招 (zuìhòu de yī zhāo) — only remaining option
  • Chinese Mandarin: 最後的手段 /最后的手段 (zuìhòu de shǒuduàn) — only remaining option
  • Czech: poslední možnost — only remaining option
  • Finnish: viimeinen vaihtoehto — only remaining option
  • Finnish: viimeinen keino — only remaining option
  • French: dernier recours — only remaining option
  • German: letztes Mittel — only remaining option
  • German: letzter Ausweg — only remaining option
  • Greek: έσχατη λύση (éschati lýsi) — only remaining option
  • Hungarian: végső/legvégső eszköz/megoldás/mentsvár — only remaining option
  • Hungarian: ha minden kötél szakad — only remaining option
  • Hungarian: végső esetben — only remaining option
  • Icelandic: neyðarúrræði — only remaining option
  • Icelandic: óyndisúrræði — only remaining option
  • Indonesian: cara pamungkas — only remaining option
  • Italian: ultima risorsa — only remaining option
  • Italian: ultima spiaggia — only remaining option
  • Japanese: 最終手段 (saishū shudan) — only remaining option
  • Japanese: 最後の手段 (saigo no shudan) — only remaining option
  • Korean: 최후의 수단 (choehuui sudan) — only remaining option
  • Latin: extrēma — only remaining option
  • Macedonian: задно прибежиште (zadno pribežište) — only remaining option
  • Persian: آخرین حربه — only remaining option
  • Polish: ostatnia deska ratunku — only remaining option
  • Portuguese: último recurso — only remaining option
  • Portuguese: derradeiro recurso — only remaining option
  • Portuguese: última instância — only remaining option
  • Portuguese: último caso — only remaining option
  • Russian: после́дняя наде́жда (poslédnjaja nadéžda) — only remaining option
  • Spanish: postrera esperanza — only remaining option
  • Spanish: única forma / manera — only remaining option
  • Spanish: último recurso — only remaining option
  • Spanish: postrimera instancia — only remaining option
  • Spanish: tabla de salvación — only remaining option
  • Swedish: sista utväg — only remaining option