last-minute
last-minute — noun
1. the final brief window of time available before a deadline, departure, or event
the final brief window of time available before a deadline, departure, or event — the latest point at which something can still be done.
Diego always packs at the last minute before his weekend trips to the coast.
fixed phrase: at the last minute
Chiara waited until the last minute to send in her university application.
until the last minute + infinitive purpose
Bus tickets are often cheaper if you avoid buying them at the last minute.
The chef added fresh herbs to the soup at the last minute before serving.
- eleventh hour
more dramatic and idiomatic; suggests a tense, narrow escape rather than routine lateness
- deadline
names the cutoff point itself, not the small window just before it
- well in advance
the opposite habit — completing things with plenty of time to spare
文法句型
at the last minute
until the last minute
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed prepositional phrase 'at the last minute' or 'until the last minute'. The noun rarely stands alone as a bare subject or object.
常見錯誤
last-minute — adjective
1. arranged, decided, or carried out at the latest practical point — often with a s
arranged, decided, or carried out at the latest practical point — often with a sense of haste or after earlier plans fell through.
Anong booked a last-minute flight to Bangkok when her sister fell ill.
attributive: last-minute + noun (flight)
The team made several last-minute changes to the report before the meeting started.
last-minute changes — common collocation
Sivan threw together a last-minute birthday gift for her father using items from the kitchen.
A last-minute goal in the final seconds gave the visiting team a surprise win.
Chidi cancelled the wedding venue and found a last-minute replacement online.
- eleventh-hour
more dramatic, often suggesting a rescue or narrow avoidance of failure
- rushed
emphasises haste and lack of preparation rather than the late timing itself
- hasty
stresses the speed of the decision and a possible lack of care; can carry mild criticism
- advance
as in 'advance booking' — planned well before the event
- pre-planned
arranged with adequate time, the deliberate opposite of last-minute
文法句型
last-minute + noun
用法筆記
Attributive only — placed directly before a noun. Cannot be used after 'be' (you cannot say 'the decision was last-minute' in formal writing; rephrase as 'the decision was made at the last minute').