coup de grâce

[ koo duh grahs ]

noun

, French.

, plural coups de grâce [koo d, uh, , grahs].

1. a death blow, especially one delivered mercifully to end suffering.
2. any finishing or decisive stroke.

coup de grâce

/ ku də ɡrɑs /

noun

1. a mortal or finishing blow, esp one delivered as an act of mercy to a sufferer
2. a final or decisive stroke

coup de grâce

1. The final blow: “He had been getting deeper and deeper in debt; the fates delivered the coup de grâce when he died.” The phrase is French for “stroke of mercy.” It originally referred to the merciful stroke that put a fatally wounded person out of his misery or to the shot delivered to the head of a prisoner after he had faced a firing squad.

Word History and Origins

Origin of coup de grâce¹

Literally, “blow of mercy”

Word History and Origins

Origin of coup de grâce¹

literally: blow of mercy

Example Sentences

And then Walz delivered the coup de grace by bringing up the absence of Mike Pence:

From Salon

The coup de grace came with Tennessee trying to carve into a 69-64 deficit.

From Seattle Times

And then the coup de grace: The judges threw Trump’s lawyers’ words during his second impeachment right back at him:

From Salon

Trump delivered the coup de grace late in the program, when he complained to Welker, “You keep interrupting me.”

From Los Angeles Times

The staged murder photo was the coup de grace in a ruse federal agents used to catch a Los Angeles developer suspected of plotting to kill two men.

From Los Angeles Times