bottom of the barrel
Last resort option
Bottom of the barrel describes the least desirable options remaining after better ones have been taken.
The image is of scraping out what's left when supplies run low.
Often appears as scraping the bottom of the barrel: By the third round of interviews, we were scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Can describe people, choices, or quality: That movie was really bottom of the barrel.
Residue at bottom
- rejectsRefuses or discards
- scrapsSmall remaining pieces
- leftoversUneaten food kept afterward
- castoffsAbandoned possessions
discards · hand-me-downs · remnants · seconds · irregulars · defects · substandard · knockoffs
Deficient supply of necessities
- dearthAcute shortage of something
- depletionReduction of supply
- running lowNearing exhaustion of supply
- pickingsItems available to take
dregs · fumes · nothing left · bare cupboard · empty shelves · dried up · tapped out · depleted
Final available option
- fallbackAlternative if primary fails
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- plan BAlternative when primary fails
- contingencyUncertain possible event
emergency · recourse · stopgap · makeshift · expedient · lifeline · safety net · hail mary
Not wished for
- unpopularNot liked by many
- last pickFinal, unchosen remainder
- overlookedNot noticed or considered
- passed overBypassed for selection
unchosen · rejected · spurned · undesirable · scraped together · slim pickings · what's left · table scraps
dregs
Residue at bottom
castoffs · discards · hand-me-downs · remnants · seconds · irregulars · defects · substandard · knockoffs · junk
shortage
Deficient supply of necessities
- dearthAcute shortage of something
- depletionReduction of supply
- running lowNearing exhaustion of supply
pickings · dregs · fumes · nothing left · bare cupboard · empty shelves · dried up · tapped out · depleted
last resort
Final available option
- fallbackAlternative if primary fails
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- plan BAlternative when primary fails
contingency · emergency · recourse · stopgap · makeshift · expedient · lifeline · safety net · hail mary · no choice
unwanted
Not wished for
- unpopularNot liked by many
- last pickFinal, unchosen remainder
- overlookedNot noticed or considered
passed over · unchosen · rejected · spurned · undesirable · scraped together · slim pickings · what's left · table scraps · crumbs
- rankingsrankings, first, college rankings, second, third
- Insignificant thingstrivial, minor, small, tiny, negligible
- Standards & Benchmarksbenchmark, yardstick, gold standard, litmus test, acid test
bottom of the barrelcream of the crop
The very best
crème de la crème · top of the line · best of the best · pick of the litter · top-tier
bottom, bottoms, bottomed, bottoming, bottomless, barrel, barrels, barreled, barreling