last minute failures

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "last minute failures" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe problems or issues that arise just before a deadline or at the final stage of a process. Example: "Despite thorough planning, we encountered several last minute failures that jeopardized the project's success."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

"It was devastating to let people down and not open after working on this for four years, but we'd no choice," says co-founder Dan Blackledge, the man behind Croatia's Unknown and Hideout festivals, who blames contractors for last-minute failures.

The Guardian - Travel

For the patients who died, it is unknown whether dying in the hospital (often shortly after admission) was in accord with patients' and caregivers' wishes, or represented last-minute failures of hospice care to shield patients from unwarranted medical intervention.

BMJ Open

In Iraq last year, the last-minute failure of officials to work out similar details, despite longstanding agreement on general principles, meant that the United States was forced to exit the country without leaving behind any substantial military presence.

Huffington Post

On Tuesday the interceptor completely missed the incoming missile it was supposed to destroy, apparently because of the last-minute failure of two heat-sensing devices.

The New York Times

It wasn't Philip's successes that people talked about: it was his last-minute failure.

Huffington Post

At the heart of the last-minute failure was the fact that M23 was recently defeated militarily.

Los Angeles Times

However, the connector was not opened to traffic until four days later due to a last-minute failure of the tunnel communications system.

Wikipedia

In the last minute.

The New York Times

How last minute?

The New York Times - Arts

"That last run, that last minute.

Independent

This is the last minute.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing complex projects, clearly specify the nature and impact of any "last minute failures" to ensure transparency and facilitate effective problem-solving.

Common error

Avoid using "last minute failures" as a vague catch-all term. Instead, identify the specific failure and its root cause to avoid miscommunication and ensure effective solutions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "last minute failures" functions as a noun phrase. It typically acts as the subject or object of a sentence, describing incidents of breakdowns close to deadlines. The phrase is direct and easily understood, conveying the urgency and potential impact of these issues.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "last minute failures" refers to problems or breakdowns that occur very close to a deadline. Grammatically correct and understandable, it's suitable for various contexts. While the phrase isn't overly common, it’s readily used in news and media, scientific, and wiki environments. When using this phrase, specify the exact nature of the problem to avoid vagueness. It is important to note that "eleventh hour breakdowns" or "final stage collapses", offer semantically related substitutes. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

eleventh-hour breakdowns

Replaces "last minute" with "eleventh-hour" to emphasize the lateness of the failure and replaces "failures" with "breakdowns" to suggest a sudden loss of function.

final stage collapses

Substitutes "last minute" with "final stage" and "failures" with "collapses", highlighting the timing and severity of the issues.

late-stage malfunctions

Uses "late-stage" instead of "last minute" and "malfunctions" instead of "failures", focusing on operational problems occurring near the end.

last-second mishaps

Replaces "minute" with "second" to stress the imminence and swaps "failures" for "mishaps" suggesting minor errors or accidents.

deadline day disasters

Replaces "last minute" with "deadline day" to specifically link the failures to a deadline and swaps "failures" to "disasters" implying a catastrophic effect.

final hour fiascos

Uses "final hour" instead of "last minute" to emphasize the short time frame and "fiascos" instead of "failures" to describe a complete and embarrassing failure.

terminal glitches

Replaces "last minute" with "terminal" emphasizing a final event, and swaps "failures" for "glitches" implying minor or temporary problems.

critical juncture errors

Substitutes "last minute" with "critical juncture" focusing on timing at a crucial point and replaces "failures" with "errors" suggesting mistakes.

end-stage deficiencies

Replaces "last minute" with "end-stage", and substitutes "failures" with "deficiencies" highlighting shortcomings.

penultimate problems

Substitutes "last minute" with "penultimate", focusing on the almost final stage, and replaces "failures" with "problems" suggesting minor issues.

FAQs

How can I use "last minute failures" in a sentence?

You can use "last minute failures" to describe problems that occur very close to a deadline or the end of a process. For example, "The project suffered several "last minute failures" that nearly caused its cancellation".

What are some alternatives to "last minute failures"?

Alternatives include "eleventh hour breakdowns", "final stage collapses", or "late stage malfunctions", depending on the specific context.

What does "last minute failures" typically refer to?

"Last minute failures" generally refer to unexpected problems or errors that arise just before a deadline, an event, or the completion of a task, potentially jeopardizing the outcome.

Is it better to say "last minute failure" or "last minute failures"?

The choice depends on whether you're referring to a single incident or multiple occurrences. Use "last minute failure" for a singular event and "last minute failures" when referring to several incidents.