last minute

adjective
UK: /ˌlɑːst ˈmɪn.ɪt/
US: /ˌlæst ˈmɪn.ɪt/

  1. Happening or done very close to the deadline or the time something is supposed to happen.

    1. I made a last minute decision to go.
    2. We had a last minute change of plans, so we couldn't meet you yesterday.

Synonyms

tardy belated late
last minute adverb

  1. At the latest possible time before something must happen.

    1. He always finishes his homework last minute.
    2. She cancelled her trip last minute because she felt unwell.
last minute noun

  1. The very latest opportunity to do something.

    1. I bought the tickets at the last minute.
    2. It was a last minute escape, but we managed to get out safely.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "last minute" is /ˌlɑːst ˈmɪn.ɪt/ in British English and /ˌlæst ˈmɪn.ɪt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "last minute": tardy, belated, late.

Example usage of "last minute": "I made a last minute decision to go.". More examples on the page.