Last vs. Past — What's the Difference?

Final in a sequence.

Previous period.

Least likely.

Behind.

Remaining.

Earlier than present.

Most recent.

Beyond.

Ultimate.

Former.

A last is a mechanical form shaped like a human foot. It is used by shoemakers and cordwainers in the manufacture and repair of shoes.

The past is the set of all events that occurred before a given point in time. The past is contrasted with and defined by the present and the future.

Being, coming, or placed after all others; final

No longer current; gone by; over

Being the only one left

Having existed or occurred in an earlier time; bygone

Just past; most recent

Earlier than the present time; ago

Most up-to-date; newest

Just gone by or elapsed

Highest in extent or degree; utmost

Having served formerly in a given capacity, especially an official one

Most valid, authoritative, or conclusive

(Grammar) Of, relating to, or being a verb tense or form used to express an action or condition prior to the time it is expressed.

Least likely or expected

The time before the present.

The least desirable or suitable

Previous background, career, experiences, and activities

Being the latest possible

A former period of someone's life kept secret or thought to be shameful

Lowest in rank or importance

The past tense.

Used as an intensive

A verb form in the past tense.

Of or relating to a terminal period or stage, as of life

So as to pass by or go beyond

Administered just before death

Beyond in time; later than or after

After all others in chronology or sequence

Beyond in position; farther than

Most recently

Beyond the power, scope, extent, or influence of

At the end; finally

Beyond in development or appropriateness

One that is at the end or last

Beyond the number or amount of

The end

The period of time that has already happened, in contrast to the present and the future.

The final mention or appearance

(grammar) The past tense.

A block or form shaped like a human foot and used in making or repairing shoes.

Having already happened; in the past; finished.

A unit of volume or weight varying for different commodities and in different districts, equal to about 80 bushels, 640 gallons, or 2 tons.

(postmodifier) Following expressions of time to indicate how long ago something happened; ago.

To continue in time; go on

Of a period of time: having just gone by; previous.

To continue; survive

(grammar) Of a tense, expressing action that has already happened or a previously-existing state.

To remain in good or usable condition

In a direction that passes.

To continue in force or practice

Beyond in place or quantity

To remain in adequate supply

No longer capable of.

To keep adequately supplied

Having recovered or moved on from (a traumatic experience, etc.).

To persist or endure for the entire length of; survive

Passing by, especially without stopping or being delayed.

To mold or shape on a last.

(obsolete) pass

Final, ultimate, coming after all others of its kind.

Of or pertaining to a former time or state; neither present nor future; gone by; elapsed; ended; spent; as, past troubles; past offences.

Most recent, latest, last so far.

A former time or state; a state of things gone by.

Farthest of all from a given quality, character, or condition; most unlikely, or least preferable.

Beyond, in position, or degree; further than; beyond the reach or influence of.

Being the only one remaining of its class.

Beyond, in time; after; as, past the hour.

Supreme; highest in degree; utmost.

Above; exceeding; more than.

Lowest in rank or degree.

By; beyond; as, he ran past.

The (one) immediately before the present.

The time that has elapsed;

(of days of the week or months of the year) Closest in the past, or closest but one if the closest was very recent; of days, sometimes thought to specifically refer to the instance closest to seven days (one week) ago, or the most recent instance before seven days (one week) ago.

A earlier period in someone's life (especially one that they have reason to keep secret);

Most recently.

A verb tense that expresses actions or states in the past

(sequence) after everything else; finally

Earlier than the present time; no longer current;

To perform, carry out.

Of a person who has held and relinquished a position or office;

(intransitive) To endure, continue over time.

A verb tense or other construction referring to events or states that existed at some previous time;

(intransitive) To hold out, continue undefeated or entire.

So as to pass a given point;

To shape with a last; to fasten or fit to a last; to place smoothly on a last.

A tool for shaping or preserving the shape of shoes.

(obsolete) A burden; load; a cargo; freight.

(obsolete) A measure of weight or quantity, varying in designation depending on the goods concerned.

(obsolete) An old English (and Dutch) measure of the carrying capacity of a ship, equal to two tons.

A load of some commodity with reference to its weight and commercial value.

Of Last, to endure, contracted from lasteth.

Being after all the others, similarly classed or considered, in time, place, or order of succession; following all the rest; final; hindmost; farthest; as, the last year of a century; the last man in a line of soldiers; the last page in a book; his last chance.

Next before the present; as, I saw him last week.

Supreme; highest in degree; utmost.

Lowest in rank or degree; as, the a last place finish.

Farthest of all from a given quality, character, or condition; most unlikely; having least fitness; as, he is the last person to be accused of theft.

At a time or on an occasion which is the latest of all those spoken of or which have occurred; the last time; as, I saw him last in New York.

In conclusion; finally; lastly.

At a time next preceding the present time.

To continue in time; to endure; to remain in existence.

To endure use, or continue in existence, without impairment or exhaustion; as, this cloth lasts better than that; the fuel will last through the winter.

To shape with a last; to fasten or fit to a last; to place smoothly on a last; as, to last a boot.

A wooden block shaped like the human foot, on which boots and shoes are formed.

A load; a heavy burden; hence, a certain weight or measure, generally estimated at 4,000 lbs., but varying for different articles and in different countries. In England, a last of codfish, white herrings, meal, or ashes, is twelve barrels; a last of corn, ten quarters, or eighty bushels, in some parts of England, twenty-one quarters; of gunpowder, twenty-four barrels, each containing 100 lbs; of red herrings, twenty cades, or 20,000; of hides, twelve dozen; of leather, twenty dickers; of pitch and tar, fourteen barrels; of wool, twelve sacks; of flax or feathers, 1,700 lbs.

The burden of a ship; a cargo.

The temporal end; the concluding time;

The last or lowest in an ordering or series;

A person's dying act; the last thing a person can do;

The time at which life ends; continuing until dead;

A unit of weight equal to 4,000 pounds

A unit of capacity for grain equal to 80 bushels

The concluding parts of an event or occurrence;

Holding device shaped like a human foot that is used to fashion or repair shoes

Persist or be long; in time;

Continue to live; endure or last;

Immediately past;

Coming after all others in time or space or degree or being the only one remaining;

Occurring at or forming an end or termination;

Conclusive in a process or progression;

Most unlikely or unsuitable;

Occurring at the time of death;

Not to be altered or undone;

Lowest in rank or importance;

Highest in extent or degree;

In accord with the most fashionable ideas or style;

More recently than any other time;

The item at the end;

"Last" refers to the final item or period in any sequence.

No, "last" and "past" are not interchangeable as they convey different temporal focuses and uses.

"This is the last piece of cake" means there is no more cake after this piece.

"Past" refers to times gone by, as in "during the past year."

When used as a preposition, "past" indicates something that is on the far side of, as in "just past the post office."

"Last" is commonly used to refer to the most recent event or period, like "last week."

In literature, "past" is often used to set scenes or describe periods that have already occurred.

"Last year" refers to the previous calendar year, while "past year" can refer to any 12-month period before now.

"Past" denotes a period that has already occurred or an adjective describing something that has gone by.

Yes, in contexts like "the last person I'd expect," it can imply a negative surprise or unlikelihood.