death knell

noun

1. a harbinger of the end, death, or destruction of something.

2. passing bell.

death knell

noun

1. something that heralds death or destruction

2. a bell rung to announce a death

Idioms and Phrases

Something that indicates impending failure, as in His low scores sounded the death knell for his ambitions. The noun knell, used for the ringing of a bell since at least a.d. 1000, is rarely heard today except in this figurative phrase.

Example Sentences

However, the big stores slowly suffered from falling profits and rising debt as more shoppers moved online - before the coronavirus lockdowns signalled the death knell to Debenhams and many other businesses.

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This is not a "winner takes all market", says Mr Bisen, giving the example of e-commerce which came into India in 2010 and was meant to sound the death knell of local retailers.

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In fact, the regular watering that most vegetables need to thrive can be a death knell to native perennials, especially in late summer, when many go dormant.

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But for Le Pen, this could be the death knell of her long-cherished ambition to become French president.

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The death knell was the wretched failure of Christian nationalism as a governing style.

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