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final straw

/ˈfaɪ.nəl strɔː/
phrase★Intermediate◆idiom
◆ What It Really Means
The last in a series of negative events that causes someone to react or make a decision.
¶ Literal Meaning
The last piece of straw added to a load.
Literal Breakdown
finallast or ultimate+strawa piece of dried grass
◇ Mental Image
A camel carrying a heavy load until one final straw makes the load too heavy, causing the camel to collapse.
◈ When to Use
A person who has tolerated many problems in a relationship or job finally decides to leave after one more intolerable incident.
◉ Cultural Note
This idiom is based on the idea that even small problems can become unbearable when they accumulate over time.
informal

The last in a series of negative events that causes someone to react or make a decision, often to leave or stop tolerating a situation.

She put up with his lateness for years, but when he missed their anniversary, it was the final straw.

She tolerated his lateness for years, but his missing their anniversary made her decide to end the relationship.

The team's poor performance was the final straw for the coach, who resigned immediately.

The team's bad performance was the last problem that made the coach quit.

💡

This idiom is often used to describe a breaking point in relationships, jobs, or other long-term situations.

Collocations

the last strawsimilar idiom with the same meaningthe straw that broke the camel's backanother similar idiom

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

the straw that broke the camel's backidiom
the final problem that causes a situation to collapse

💡Pro Tip

Usage Tip

Use this phrase when describing a situation where someone has reached their limit after many smaller problems.

⚡Gold Rule

Context Rule

This idiom is most commonly used in situations involving relationships, jobs, or long-term commitments.

📖Word Origin

The phrase comes from the idea of a camel carrying a load until one final straw makes the load too heavy, causing the camel to collapse. It has been used metaphorically since at least the 19th century.

📝Usage Notes

This idiom is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe a final, intolerable problem.

Word Breakdown

final
last or ultimate
adjective
+
straw
a small, seemingly insignificant thing
noun
English Dictionary

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