Meaning & use
coup de grâce
A final decisive blow or act that ends something, especially one that ends suffering or brings a definitive defeat.
See it in a sentence
The company's failed product launch was the coup de grace that led to its bankruptcy.
The wounded soldier was given a coup de grace to end his suffering quickly.
A note on using this word
Coup de grâce is French for 'blow of mercy'; in English it is usually pronounced without the final s and often italicized as a borrowed phrase.
Words with a similar meaning
finishing blow
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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