a close last

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a close last" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something finishes in last place but with a very small margin, indicating that the competition was tight. Example: "In the final race, Sarah finished a close last, just a second behind the second-to-last runner."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

As the last campaign of Barack Obama drew to a close last night, I found myself emotional, not for the candidate or even the presidency, but for the campaign.

Huffington Post

The first version of these Games came to a close last night with organisers adamant it will not be a one-off.

Independent

Gorillaz and Thom Yorke brought California's Coachella festival to a close last night, despite travel chaos caused by the cloud of volcanic ash.

The Guardian - Music

There was an 16-year legal battle that finally drew to a close last month as a judge, quoting Descartes, dismissed the complaints that fueled a sewer imbroglio.

The New York Times

Begun in 1996 with much fanfare, the campaign wheezed to a close last month, largely unnoticed but nonetheless praised by the association's president, Matthew T. Crosson.

The New York Times

The potential awkwardness was on display Monday night as the Senate reconvened and took a procedural vote, the first since the Republican convention was gaveled to a close last Thursday.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

(The trial drew to a close last week).

The New Yorker

AS ELECTION day drew to a close last week, the narrow streets of Algeria's capital erupted.

The Economist

Our four-week sprint around Europe came to a close last week with a short stop in Poland.

The Guardian - Books

When Cannes drew to a close last week, it was generally agreed that the festival had been unspectacular.

The Guardian

Long before the Republican primary battle drew to a close last month, Republican-aligned groups were spending heavily on advertisements to soften Mr. Obama up.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a close last" to emphasize the minimal difference between the last finisher and those immediately preceding them, highlighting competitiveness even at the tail end.

Common error

Avoid using "a close last" when the intention is to praise a near win. "Close" here emphasizes the small margin in a negative context (last place), not a successful outcome.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a close last" functions as a descriptive phrase, modifying the noun "last". It typically serves to emphasize that the final position was achieved by a narrow margin. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a close last" is a grammatically correct and usable expression to describe a final position achieved by a narrow margin. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its validity and the provided examples highlight its common use in News & Media contexts. The phrase effectively communicates the competitiveness or tightness of the final result, making it clear that the outcome could have easily differed. While there might be a risk of misinterpreting "close" as a positive term, being mindful of the context helps ensure its appropriate usage. Alternative phrases like "just barely last" can be used for variety, but "a close last" remains a concise and effective way to describe a tightly contested last place.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

A tight last place

Emphasizes the small margin for the last position

A photo-finish for last

Highlights how close the finish was even for last place, implying a need for precise measurement to determine the final ranking.

Just barely last

Adds emphasis to how small the margin was while still conveying the sense of being in last place.

A close shave for the last spot

Uses the idiom 'close shave' to mean a narrow escape, here in the context of securing the last position.

Last by a whisker

This idiom conveys the idea of finishing last with a very small margin.

A narrow defeat for last place

Frames the last place finish as a defeat but acknowledges how tight the competition was for that final position.

A hair's breadth from not being last

Implies an extremely tiny margin away from not being in last position.

Near the bottom

This alternative uses a more general term for finishing near the end but doesn't specifically imply last place.

Nearly not the last

Focuses on the closeness of the finish to not being last at all.

Almost not last

Highlights how near the subject was to not finishing last.

FAQs

How can I use "a close last" in a sentence?

You can use "a close last" to describe a situation where someone finishes in last place by a very small margin. For example: "Despite finishing "a close last", the athlete showed great improvement throughout the competition."

What's a similar phrase to "a close last"?

Similar phrases include "just barely last", or "a tight last place". These phrases emphasize the minimal margin by which someone finished last.

Is it appropriate to use "a close last" in formal writing?

Yes, "a close last" is appropriate for formal writing, especially when describing competitive events or situations where the margin of defeat is significant. However, consider your audience and the overall tone of your writing.

What's the difference between "a close last" and "dead last"?

"A close last" suggests that the margin between the last finisher and others was small. "Dead last", on the other hand, simply indicates last place without necessarily implying a small margin.