noun phrase🎓 English idiom

last resort

the final option after others fail

What it means

A last resort is the option you turn to only when every other choice has been tried or ruled out — a backup that you'd rather not use. It comes up in medical care, financial decisions, conflict resolution, and customer service when better solutions are unavailable.

Examples

  • Surgery should only be considered as a last resort.
  • I called my parents for money as an absolute last resort.
  • Going to court is the last resort if mediation fails.
  • She kept the credit card for emergencies only — a true last resort.

Where it comes from

From the French legal phrase 'en dernier ressort', meaning the highest court of appeal, with no further appeal possible. The phrase passed into English in the 17th century and broadened from legal use to mean any final option.

Related idioms

#safety net#ace in the hole#close call#crunch time

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