Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

last

/læst/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: 5.86 in modern English

Syllables: last
IPA: /læst/

4

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

1

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Final, ultimate, coming after all others of its kind.

adj

Most recent, latest, last so far.

adj

Farthest of all from a given quality, character, or condition; most unlikely, or least preferable.

adj

Being the only one remaining of its class.

adj

Supreme; highest in degree; utmost.

adj

Lowest in rank or degree.

det

The (one) immediately before the present.

det

Closest in the past, or closest but one if the closest was very recent; of days, sometimes thought to specifically refer to the instance closest to seven days (one week) ago, or the most recent instance before seven days (one week) ago.

Example Sentences

"Will try to fix it by myself for now: as a last resort, we can always take it to a grease monkey."
"Eyes Wide Shut was the last film to be directed by Stanley Kubrick."
"Then everybody once more knelt, and soon the blessing was pronounced. The choir and the clergy trooped out slowly, […], down the nave to the western door. […] At a seemingly immense distance the surpliced group stopped to say the last prayer."
"The last time I saw him, he was married."
"I have received your note dated the 17th last, and am responding to say that[…]"
"She told him the last news about little Georgy, and how he was gone to spend that very day with his sisters in the country."

Etymology

From Middle English laste, latst, syncopated variant of latest, both ultimately from Old English latost. Doublet of latest.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: laste, latost, lasten, lǣstan, *laistijan, *laistijaną

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /læst/
British English: /lɑːst/

Usage

Inflected Forms

lasts (present, singular) lasting (participle, present) lasted (participle, past) lasted (past) lasts (plural) lasten (plural)

Derived Forms

forelast laglast lastborn lastness everlast lastability lastable outlast unlast laster lasting belast

Phrases

at last at long last at the last at the last minute at the last moment be born last week belay my last born at night but not last night

Frequently Paired Words

everlasting lasting boot tree shoe tree

Synonyms

rear, rearmost, caboose, dernier, final, terminal, ultimate, lattermost; latest most recent finally lastly continue endure survive

Antonyms

disintegrate dissipate fall apart wear out

Rhymes With

past fast passed cast vast blast surpassed caste harassed mast classed amassed

Questions

How do you pronounce last?: The recorded pronunciation is /læst/.
What does last mean?: Final, ultimate, coming after all others of its kind.
Where does last come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce last

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “last”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/læst/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “last”.
Repeat and practice — Say “last” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.