the last/final word

noun

1
: the final thing said in an argument or a discussion
Your mother's decision is the final word on the matter.
Why do you always have to have the last word?
2
: the power to make a final decision
The judge will have the last word on the divorce agreement.
3
informal : the most modern or best one of its kind
This is the last word in wireless phones.
The van's design is the last word in safety.

Examples of the last/final word in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But that does not mean that this decision will be the final word for victims and survivors. Anita Hill, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Apr. 2024 The governor gets the last word, since the General Assembly does not get another chance to override him. Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024 Danzinger got the last word before adjourning the meeting. Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024 Now, close to a decade later, fans think Bey is getting the last word. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2024 Wembanyama and fourth-year guard Devin Vassell had their moments, but the Kings had the last word. Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 23 Feb. 2024 Although Selena insisted that he be let back in, her dad had the final word. Makena Gera, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 Because the Supreme Court issues fewer than a hundred decisions a year, the circuit courts deliver the final word in tens of thousands of federal cases. Jeffrey Toobin, The New York Review of Books, 15 Feb. 2024 And as more results came in, showing Phillips losing his own home state of Minnesota in a landslide, Phillips appeared determined to have the final word as his relevance on the national scene continued to fade. Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the last/final word.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near the last/final word

Cite this Entry

“The last/final word.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20last%2Ffinal%20word. Accessed 3 May. 2024.

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