last word

noun

Synonyms of last wordnext
1
: the final remark in a verbal exchange
2
a
: the power of final decision
b
: a definitive statement or treatment
this study will surely be the last word on the subject for many years
3
: the most advanced, up-to-date, or fashionable exemplar of its kind
the last word in sports cars

Synonyms of last word

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Examples of last word in a Sentence

a swimsuit that is the last word in sportswear this season
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Through a microphone, the journalists listened as Pike spoke what were meant to be her last words—about love—and sang with her Buddhist spiritual adviser. — Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026 Smolensk, Russia, February 1837 and February 1860 Belatedly, John’s last words reached Adelaide. — Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026 Alan tells the players about the murder in plain sight and asks if any of the table-sitting players have any last words about the potential victims. — Alice Burton, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026 Job one, for anybody writing a book—for anybody writing a story of any kind, of any length—is to get the reader to that last word. — Longreads, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for last word

Word History

First Known Use

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of last word was in 1509

Rhymes for last word

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Browse Nearby Words

last time
last word
lasty
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Cite this Entry

“Last word.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/last%20word. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

last word

noun
1
: the final remark in a discussion
2
: the power of final decision
3
: the most modern or fashionable one of its kind
the last word in sportswear
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