Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

the straw that breaks the camel's back

idiom

ðə strɔː ðæt breɪks ðə ˈkæməlz bæk

Definition

A final burden or incident that causes a situation to become intolerable or leads to a breaking point.

Examples

After months of stress at work, missing my deadline was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
The constant nagging from my parents finally became the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Meaning

This phrase describes a small, seemingly insignificant event that results in a larger problem or crisis, especially when it adds to an accumulation of burdens.