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 city earned a bike score of 57.6 and walk score of 61.5 — the latter being nearly 12 points higher than Madison's walk score.
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Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
In recent years Venezia FC has ping-ponged between the Series A and Series B tournaments, Italy’s top two domestic leagues, and currently plays in the latter.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 July 2025
The former is much more appreciated than the latter.
—Joelle Goldstein, People.com, 23 July 2025
On the latter, officials told reporters these systems were especially burdensome for farmers to export their goods and that eliminating them will help open up the market to them.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the latter
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Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
In recent years Venezia FC has ping-ponged between the Series A and Series B tournaments, Italy’s top two domestic leagues, and currently plays in the latter.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 July 2025
The former is much more appreciated than the latter.
—Joelle Goldstein, People.com, 23 July 2025
On the latter, officials told reporters these systems were especially burdensome for farmers to export their goods and that eliminating them will help open up the market to them.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 23 July 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 29 Jul. 2025.
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