ultimate
1 of 3adjective
ul·ti·mate ˈəl-tə-mət 
1
a
: last in a progression or series : final
their ultimate destination was Paris
b
: eventual sense 2
they hoped for ultimate success
c
: the best or most extreme of its kind : utmost
the ultimate sacrifice
d
: most remote in space or time : farthest
2
: arrived at as the last result
the ultimate question
3
a
: original sense 1
the ultimate source
b
: basic, fundamental
the ultimate nature of things
A. N. Whitehead
A. N. Whitehead c
: incapable of further analysis, division, or separation
ultimateness noun
ultimate
2 of 3noun
1
: something ultimate
especially : fundamental
2
: acme
3
capitalized : ultimate frisbee
ultimate
3 of 3verb
ul·ti·mate ˈəl-tə-mət -ˌmāt
-ˌmāt ultimated; ultimating
: end
Synonyms
Adjective
- consummate
- last
- max
- maximum
- most
- nth
- outside
- paramount
- supreme
- top
- utmost
- uttermost
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective Their ultimate fate has not yet been decided. Our ultimate aim is to increase production.
Recent Examples on the Web Karla Pope, Woman's Day, 10 Sep. 2022 This is not a dish that needs to be constrained to your dinner table—Hayden brings her bowl to her couch or her bed and fires up some binge-worthy reality TV to make dinner the ultimate restorative experience. Christa Sgobba, SELF, 9 Sep. 2022 Uncut and straight from the barrels, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof will give you the ultimate liquor drinking experience. Toby Grey, BGR, 4 Sep. 2022 For the ultimate user experience, every Kansas bettor must download the BetMGM Sportsbook mobile app. Xl Media, cleveland, 31 Aug. 2022 The ultimate music awards show returns to MTV tonight to feature the very best in music videos and entertainment from the year. Amy Leona Havin | The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 28 Aug. 2022 For the ultimate spa-at-home experience, your best bet is to invest in a set of bath sheets. Kylee Mcguigan, Popular Mechanics, 24 Aug. 2022 Pair them with a bottle of vermouth and some olives for the ultimate gift. Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, 22 Aug. 2022 Which means that for astronomers like Fields, a supernova would the ultimate gift from the heavens. Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Aug. 2022 Elie Honig, CNN, 14 Oct. 2021 The Gladiators made a mistake, and Fearless used his ultimate to take the Gladiators’ support players out of the fight. Sean Collins, Dallas News, 9 June 2021 Fielder used his ultimate on Moira in a fight that was unwinnable. Sean Collins, Dallas News, 31 May 2021 Should the Gophers collect others while pursuing their ultimate of the national championship, that's gravy. Randy Johnson, Star Tribune, 4 Mar. 2021 There were fight-altering ultimates and others that left a lot to be desired. Sean Collins, Dallas News, 11 May 2020 Both players charged their ultimates at roughly the same rate, but the value heavily favored Super. Sean Collins, Dallas News, 10 Feb. 2020 His contrast between the two ultimates of Timon’s emotional pendulum is marvelously rich and instructive. James Hebert, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2019 Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2021 At the beginning of Harbaugh’s tenure as Ravens coach, the Pittsburgh Steelers barred the door to ultimate success. Childs Walker, baltimoresun.com, 18 Sep. 2021 As a player, Jared Goff and Peyton Manning are counting on me to do my job, which ultimate leads to helping the team. Mitch Stephens, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Sep. 2021 Member of the 1970s all-decade team, Stabler was the 1974 NFL MVP and led the Raiders to ultimate glory in Super Bowl XI. Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2020 Only when forced to face her demons after things go awry with love interest Nico (Roberta Colindrez) and handyman Baco (Raúl Castillo) does Emma open the door to ultimate freedom. Ew Staff, EW.com, 21 June 2019 Weight loss diets are seen as the gateway to ultimate wellness. SELF, 24 Sep. 2018 The act went through the heartbreak of completing an album, which they ultimate ditched. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 9 Nov. 2017 See More
Adjective
Perfect for watching your favorite shows, playing video games or even sharing photos, this compact projector creates the ultimate home theater experience. Karla Pope, Woman's Day, 10 Sep. 2022 This is not a dish that needs to be constrained to your dinner table—Hayden brings her bowl to her couch or her bed and fires up some binge-worthy reality TV to make dinner the ultimate restorative experience. Christa Sgobba, SELF, 9 Sep. 2022 Uncut and straight from the barrels, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof will give you the ultimate liquor drinking experience. Toby Grey, BGR, 4 Sep. 2022 For the ultimate user experience, every Kansas bettor must download the BetMGM Sportsbook mobile app. Xl Media, cleveland, 31 Aug. 2022 The ultimate music awards show returns to MTV tonight to feature the very best in music videos and entertainment from the year. Amy Leona Havin | The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 28 Aug. 2022 For the ultimate spa-at-home experience, your best bet is to invest in a set of bath sheets. Kylee Mcguigan, Popular Mechanics, 24 Aug. 2022 Pair them with a bottle of vermouth and some olives for the ultimate gift. Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, 22 Aug. 2022 Which means that for astronomers like Fields, a supernova would the ultimate gift from the heavens. Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Aug. 2022 Noun
Goldmann-Gilead lived through the ultimate of horrors. Elie Honig, CNN, 14 Oct. 2021 The Gladiators made a mistake, and Fearless used his ultimate to take the Gladiators’ support players out of the fight. Sean Collins, Dallas News, 9 June 2021 Fielder used his ultimate on Moira in a fight that was unwinnable. Sean Collins, Dallas News, 31 May 2021 Should the Gophers collect others while pursuing their ultimate of the national championship, that's gravy. Randy Johnson, Star Tribune, 4 Mar. 2021 There were fight-altering ultimates and others that left a lot to be desired. Sean Collins, Dallas News, 11 May 2020 Both players charged their ultimates at roughly the same rate, but the value heavily favored Super. Sean Collins, Dallas News, 10 Feb. 2020 His contrast between the two ultimates of Timon’s emotional pendulum is marvelously rich and instructive. James Hebert, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2019 Verb
For keen Christo fans and collectors, Sotheby’s Paris is presenting The Final Christo (until 3 October), an exhibition of 25 works telling the story of L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, from early dream to to ultimate realisation six decades later. Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2021 At the beginning of Harbaugh’s tenure as Ravens coach, the Pittsburgh Steelers barred the door to ultimate success. Childs Walker, baltimoresun.com, 18 Sep. 2021 As a player, Jared Goff and Peyton Manning are counting on me to do my job, which ultimate leads to helping the team. Mitch Stephens, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Sep. 2021 Member of the 1970s all-decade team, Stabler was the 1974 NFL MVP and led the Raiders to ultimate glory in Super Bowl XI. Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2020 Only when forced to face her demons after things go awry with love interest Nico (Roberta Colindrez) and handyman Baco (Raúl Castillo) does Emma open the door to ultimate freedom. Ew Staff, EW.com, 21 June 2019 Weight loss diets are seen as the gateway to ultimate wellness. SELF, 24 Sep. 2018 The act went through the heartbreak of completing an album, which they ultimate ditched. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 9 Nov. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Medieval Latin ultimatus last, final, from Late Latin, past participle of ultimare to come to an end, be last, from Latin ultimus farthest, last, final, superlative of Latin *ulter situated beyond
First Known Use
Adjective
1640, in the meaning defined at sense 1d
Noun
1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
circa 1834, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing ultimate
Kids Definition
ultimate
adjective
ul·ti·mate ˈəl-tə-mət
1
: last in a series : final The traveler's ultimate destination was Rome.
2
: most extreme
the ultimate sacrifice
3
: relating to or being the chief or most important
She has ultimate responsibility for the accident.
ultimate 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in maximum
of the greatest or highest degree or quantity the ultimate speed yet attained by a land-based vehicle Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- maximum
- utmost
- most
- supreme
- paramount
- consummate
- max
- last
- uttermost
- largest
- biggest
- unparalleled
- unrivaled
- top
- nth
- outside
- unequaled
- unsurpassed
- unmatched
- unrivalled
- unequalled
- hugest
- uppermost
- topmost
- upmost
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- minimal
- minimum
- least
- slightest
- smallest
- lowest
- tiniest
- littlest
- minutest
- fewest
2
as in final
following all others of the same kind in order or time the ultimate speaker at today's meeting Synonyms & Similar Words
- final
- latest
- last
- closing
- latter
- lowest
- concluding
- penultimate
- eventual
- terminating
- lag
- terminal
- following
- crowning
- ensuing
- farthest
- consequent
- rearmost
- definitive
- decisive
- conclusive
- remotest
- bottommost
- hindmost
- succeeding
- furthest
- extreme
- utmost
- lowermost
- outermost
- outmost
- furthermost
- farthermost
- nethermost
- endmost
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- initial
- first
- primary
- original
- beginning
- earliest
- pioneer
- foremost
- starting
- opening
- superior
- maiden
- inaugural
- premier
- eminent
- headmost
- leadoff
3
as in farthest
most distant from a center the ultimate edges of the universe Synonyms & Similar Words
- farthest
- extreme
- outmost
- remotest
- utmost
- furthest
- outermost
- furthermost
- farthermost
- sternmost
- rearmost
- aftermost
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- nearest
- innermost
- intermediate
- middle
- medial
- inmost
- mid
- median
- midmost
ultimate
2 of 2noun
1
as in epitome
Synonyms & Similar Words
- epitome
- consummation
- quintessence
- limit
- extremity
- height
- depth
2
as in best
Synonyms & Similar Words
- best
- maximum
- utmost
- most
- max
- extreme
- outside
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- least
- minimum
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of ultimate are final, last, and terminal. While all these words mean "following all others (as in time, order, or importance)," ultimate implies the last degree or stage of a long process beyond which further progress or change is impossible.
the ultimate collapse of the system
The words final and ultimate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, final applies to that which definitely closes a series, process, or progress.
final day of school
While the synonyms last and ultimate are close in meaning, last applies to something that comes at the end of a series but does not always imply that the series is completed or stopped.
last page of a book
last news we had of him
The synonyms terminal and ultimate are sometimes interchangeable, but terminal may indicate a limit of extension, growth, or development.
terminal phase of a disease
- bitter orange
- bitter osier
- bitter pecan
- bitter pepper
- bitter pill
- bitter pit
- bitter rot
- bitter rubberweed
- bitter spar
- bitter thistle
- bitter vetch
- bitter waternut
- bitter willow
- bitter-ender
- bitterbark
- bitterbloom
- bitterbrush
- bitterbrushes
- bitterbush
- bittercresses
- bittered
- bitterenders
- bitterer
- bitterest
- bitterhead