the final/last straw
noun
: the last in a series of bad things that happen to make someone very upset, angry, etc.
It had been a difficult week, so when the car broke down, it was the last straw.
Examples of the final/last straw in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Spain had never before gone beyond the quarter-finals of the UEFA Women’s Euro but their failure to overcome England was seen as the final straw for the woman in charge of the world champions.
—
Asif Burhan, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
His defensive struggles and failure to show any signs of being a reliable hitter could prove to be the final straw for him.
—Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
The arrival of the aforementioned seafood tray is the last straw, and Laurel declares the meal over.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 23 July 2025
California’s Coronavirus lockdowns, years of fire, taxation, and cult of fear, led by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Democrats, and Los Angeles County were the final straw.
—Matt Quan, Oc Register, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the final/last straw
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Asif Burhan, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
His defensive struggles and failure to show any signs of being a reliable hitter could prove to be the final straw for him.
—Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
The arrival of the aforementioned seafood tray is the last straw, and Laurel declares the meal over.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 23 July 2025
California’s Coronavirus lockdowns, years of fire, taxation, and cult of fear, led by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Democrats, and Los Angeles County were the final straw.
—Matt Quan, Oc Register, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the final/last straw
Cite this Entry
“The final/last straw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20final%2Flast%20straw. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share