last straw

noun

Definition of last straw

: the last of a series (as of events or indignities) that brings one beyond the point of endurance

Examples of last straw in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For many San Francisco residents, that incident was the last straw. — Joseph Simonson, Washington Examiner, "Deaths of two elderly men spark identity crisis for San Francisco Democrats," 4 Feb. 2021 The frustration — the last straw, maybe? — bubbled over. — Steve Annear, BostonGlobe.com, "Ben Affleck’s Dunkin’ coffee ‘fumble’ — and other sightings — has been a boon for clothing company Sully’s Brand," 7 Jan. 2021 As Tatiana Sanchez and Vanessa Arredondo report, some companies bemoaned the new restrictions as a likely last straw for their efforts to stay in business. — Anna Buchmann, SFChronicle.com, "Bay Briefing: The Bay Area locks down again," 7 Dec. 2020 For him, the only reasonable option is to talk to their father, but that’s the last straw for Luther. — Rachel Paige, refinery29.com, "R29 Binge Club: Umbrella Academy Season 2 Recap," 3 Aug. 2020 And yet, despite all the material harm this administration has caused, the assault on the democratic process Wednesday seemed to be the last straw for some officials on Team Trump. — Erin Corbett, refinery29.com, "Brave Of These Trump Staffers To Resign 2 Weeks Before They All Lose Their Jobs," 8 Jan. 2021 The last straw came after the Aug. 3, 2019 shooting at a Walmart that killed 23 people and injured 22. — Dallas News, "With the Latino vote up for grabs, how did Trump make inroads in South Texas?," 7 Nov. 2020 But the last straw in her relationship with ABC came in the form of a Disneyland ticket snafu. — Sarah Todd, Quartz at Work, "Why Shonda Rhimes was right to leave ABC over a Disneyland pass," 21 Oct. 2020 But the governor's most recent order, issued Nov. 18 and extended last week to Jan. 11, is what seems to have been the last straw for some. — James Walsh, Star Tribune, "Defiance of COVID restrictions is a political act for some Minnesota restaurants and bars," 22 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'last straw.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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last thing on someone's mind

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Last Updated

22 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Last straw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/last%20straw. Accessed 25 Feb. 2021.

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