last minute

IPA/lˈast mˈɪnɪt/
IPA/lˈæst mˈɪnɪt/

last minute — noun

1. the very latest possible moment before something important must happen, when the

1.nounA2
Definition

the very latest possible moment before something important must happen, when there is almost no time left to prepare or change plans

Example

Mei-Ling finished her homework at the last minute and rushed to class.

prepositional phrase: at the last minute

Javier made a last-minute decision to fly to Tokyo instead of Seoul.

attributive use: last-minute + noun

Common collocations
  • at the last minute
  • last-minute decision
  • last-minute change
  • leave something until the last minute
  • wait until the last minute
Synonyms
Antonyms

Usage Note

Common in the prepositional phrase 'at the last minute'. Also used attributively as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., 'a last-minute change', 'last-minute preparations').

Common Mistakes

I finished it on last minute.
I finished it at the last minute.
the phrase takes the preposition 'at', not 'on'.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three expressions describe something happening very close to a deadline, but they differ in tone and usage. 'Last minute' is the most neutral and common, used in everyday speech for ordinary deadlines and plans. 'Eleventh hour' is more dramatic and formal, often appearing in news or storytelling about crises or narrow escapes ('an eleventh-hour rescue'). 'Nick of time' is slightly informal and always used with 'in the' — it emphasises that something happened just before it was too late, often with a positive outcome ('He arrived in the nick of time'). Choose 'last minute' for general use, 'eleventh hour' for dramatic effect, and 'nick of time' for a lucky near-miss.

last minute ↗eleventh hournick of time

Etymology

Old EnglishLatinEnglish

The phrase 'last minute' has been used since the early 1700s to mean the final moment before a deadline or event. It combines 'last' (from Old English 'latost', meaning 'final') and 'minute' (from Latin 'minuta', meaning 'small portion of time'). The expression became especially common in the 19th century as clocks and schedules became part of everyday life.

First known use

1653

1653, in the meaning defined above