coup de grâce

variants or coup de grace
Definition of coup de grâcenext
as in determinant
something (as a fact or argument) that is decisive or overwhelming the prosecutor presented his coupe de grâce—a videotape of the beating

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of coup de grâce But the coup de grace is the check. Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 June 2026 But the coup de grace for the burglars came on April 9, when police arrested the 23-year-old and seized his phone. Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 2 June 2026 The coup de grace came when fans pointed out that the Audio-Animatronic of Walt looks uncannily like Mike Lindell, staunch supporter of President Donald Trump and chief executive of pillow manufacturing company My Pillow. Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025 Israel softened up the target; America delivered the coup de grace. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 July 2025 The coup de grace was delivered a minute into injury time as Mount seized on a poor clearance from Athletic goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala. Carl Anka, New York Times, 9 May 2025 The coup de grace will come some five billion years from now, when our expanding red giant sun engulfs and incinerates poor little Earth. Mike Wall, Space.com, 7 May 2025 The coup de grace came Thursday in a 6-4 Oilers’ win at a raucous Rogers Place, which has become a house of horrors for the Kings. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coup de grâce
Noun
  • That is the fundamental determinant of competitiveness.
    Alex Crippen, CNBC, 13 June 2026
  • In my own research on Ebola, SARS and MERS, my colleagues and I have shown that the speed at which infected people are identified and removed from the community is one of the strongest determinants of outbreak size.
    John Drake, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • In 2023 and 2024, investors from China, Canada and Ethiopia arrived at artisanal mining sites with rock crushers, excavators and flasks filled with mercury, according to dozens of interviews with local miners, government officials and industry insiders.
    Claire Wilmot & Gisa Tunbridge, The Dial, 12 June 2026
  • And basic math, in politics as in life, so often serves as the great crusher of dreams.
    Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • Jalen Brunson, a mega WWE fan in his own right, scored 45 points in the clincher on his way to becoming the NBA Finals MVP.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
  • But nothing compared to the overflowing crowds that congregated after Saturday’s championship clincher.
    Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026
Noun
  • Amazon's Top 3 Best-Selling Mattress Toppers If your mattress leaves you hot or uncomfortable, a mattress topper can be an easy way to upgrade your sleep setup without investing in a new bed.
    Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026
  • Another great topper option is the Alpaca Wool Mattress Topper, made of 100% GOTS certified organic cotton and alpaca fiber, which is even softer than the one previously mentioned.
    Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 15 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Coup de grâce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20de%20gr%C3%A2ce. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.

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