Word
ultimatum
Phoneticsul·ti·ma·tum, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌəɫtəˈmeɪtəm/
UK/ˌʌltɪmˈeɪtəm/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a final demand that someone must accept to avoid a serious problem or punishment. It is a 'do this or else' message.
n. a final demand or statement of terms, the rejection of which will result in retaliation or a breakdown in relations. Often used in diplomatic, legal, or interpersonal negotiations.
Examples
“She gave him an ultimatum: arrive on time or leave.”
“The union issued an ultimatum to the management, threatening a full-scale strike if the safety demands were not met by midnight.”
“History is replete with diplomatic ultimatums that, while intended to force a peaceful concession, ultimately served as the formal precursors to declarations of war.”
Examples
simple
“She gave him an ultimatum: arrive on time or leave.”
contextual
“The union issued an ultimatum to the management, threatening a full-scale strike if the safety demands were not met by midnight.”
complex
“History is replete with diplomatic ultimatums that, while intended to force a peaceful concession, ultimately served as the formal precursors to declarations of war.”
Usage
Commonly follows the verbs 'issue', 'give', or 'deliver'.
Real-World Examples
“In February 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave Anthropic an ultimatum: Open its AI model, Claude, to unrestricted military use or lose its Pentagon contract.” “They warned MPs were "potentially being presented with a 'this or nothing' ultimatum on Friday".” Etymology
From Latin ultimatus (“late, last final”), from Latin ultimus (“extreme, last, furthest, farthest, final”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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