# last minute

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/last-minute
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An arbitrary (non-specific) point in time, too close to a deadline to reasonably begin a critical task.

## Examples

- I finished my essay at the last minute.
- They booked their flights at the last minute and paid twice the normal price.
- The proposal, thrown together at the last minute by exhausted interns, was full of errors that any careful review would have caught.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.