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

A skilled tracker can force faster running prey into a relentless cycle of sprinting, overheating, exhaustion, and eventual collapse—then finish off the animal with a coup de grâce delivered by spear or club.

From Science Magazine

The Toranaga of decades past wasn’t fit to deliver the coup de grâce to the rebel lord, and the Toranaga of today refuses to do the same to his country.

From New York Times

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

From Seattle Times

“This dramatic cull is the coup de grâce in the rather botched acquisition of the Family Dollar chain, which has caused Dollar Tree nothing but hassle since it was completed back in 2015,” wrote Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData.

From Seattle Times