the latter
noun
1
: the second one of two things or people that have been mentioned
Of these two options, the former is less expensive, while the latter is less risky.
2
: the last thing or person mentioned
Of chicken, fish, and meat, I like the latter best.
3
: the thing or person that has just been mentioned
The President—or, if the latter is too busy, the Vice President—will see you shortly.
Examples of the latter in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The incentives in the IRA were designed to make the latter easier and more affordable for homeowners.
—
Jamie Gold, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
The same has been true of the polio and DTaP vaccines, with the latter protecting against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025
On the latter soap, Danson initially played Dr. Chuck Weldon for seven episodes in 1975, but returned to the show as a completely different character, Mitch Pierson, in an even longer arc two years later.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 1 Mar. 2025
In the latter half of the aughts, Myers starred in The Love Guru and as a minor character in the Oscar-winning drama Inglourious Basterds.
—Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the latter
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Jamie Gold, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
The same has been true of the polio and DTaP vaccines, with the latter protecting against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025
On the latter soap, Danson initially played Dr. Chuck Weldon for seven episodes in 1975, but returned to the show as a completely different character, Mitch Pierson, in an even longer arc two years later.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 1 Mar. 2025
In the latter half of the aughts, Myers starred in The Love Guru and as a minor character in the Oscar-winning drama Inglourious Basterds.
—Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the latter
Cite this Entry
“The latter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20latter. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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