Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

coup-de-grace

noun

/ˌkuː də ˈɡrɑːs/

Definition

A final blow or shot given to end the suffering of a severely wounded person or animal.

Examples

After hours of battling the storm, the sudden flood was the coup-de-grace for the already struggling village.
The final goal scored by the opposing team was the coup-de-grace for our hopes of winning the match.

Meaning

The term refers to an act of mercy that brings about the death of a suffering creature, often used in a figurative sense to describe any decisive event that ends something.