coup de grâce

[ kooduh -grahs ]

/ kudə ˈgrɑs /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for coup de grâce on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural coups de grâce

[kooduh -grahs]. /kudə ˈgrɑs/. French.

a death blow, especially one delivered mercifully to end suffering.

any finishing or decisive stroke.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of coup de grâce

Literally, “blow of mercy”

Words nearby coup de grâce

county palatine, county seat, county town, coup, coup de foudre, coup de grâce, coup de main, coup de maître, coup de poing, coup d'essai, coup d'état

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use coup de grâce in a sentence

In the last year, her fusion exercise class has attracted a cult following and become de rigueur among the celebrity set.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze|Lizzie Crocker|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They tried to continue their getaway but had to quickly abandon their vehicle on the Rue de Meaux in the 19th.
Police Hunt for Paris Massacre Suspects|Tracy McNicoll, Christopher Dickey|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Humans spent a long time domesticating cattle, and what they were trying to do, in essence, was de-domesticate them.
‘Nazi Cows’ Tried to Kill British Farmer|Tom Sykes|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But there is a big twist in this story that has left both Grace Castro and Lozoya frustrated and grasping for more answers.
An Informant, a Missing American, and Juarez’s House of Death: Inside the 12-Year Cold Case of David Castro|Bill Conroy|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST

As it happened, the coup members found the State House “fortified with additional soldiers.”
The Shadowy U.S. Veteran Who Tried to Overthrow a Country|Jacob Siegel|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Many of them were delicious in the role; one of them was the embodiment of every womanly grace and charm.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
They ranged from moving trunks to cleaning cisterns, and, by grace of all of them, Sim was doing very well.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
Madame de Condillac stood watching him, her face composed, her glance cold.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
Then the door opened, the portiere was swept aside, and Anselme announced "Monsieur de Garnache."
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
She was growing a little stout, but it did not seem to detract an iota from the grace of every step, pose, gesture.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin

British Dictionary definitions for coup de grâce

coup de grâce

/ French (ku də ɡrɑs) /

noun plural coups de grâce (ku də ɡrɑs)

a mortal or finishing blow, esp one delivered as an act of mercy to a sufferer

a final or decisive stroke

Word Origin for coup de grâce

literally: blow of mercy

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for coup de grâce

coup de grâce

[ (kooh duh grahs) ]

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.

coup de grâce

Origin of coup de grâce

Words nearby coup de grâce

Words related to coup de grâce

How to use coup de grâce in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for coup de grâce

Word Origin for coup de grâce

Cultural definitions for coup de grâce