last straw

American  

noun

1. the last of a succession of irritations, incidents, remarks, etc., that leads to a loss of patience, a disaster, etc..

   He has been late before, but this is the last straw.

---

last straw British  

noun

1. the final irritation or problem that stretches one's endurance or patience beyond the limit

---

Etymology

Origin of last straw

First recorded in 1840–50; after the proverb “It is the last straw that breaks the camel's back”

Example Sentences

“It could be a real easy excuse for us to say, ‘Alright, that’s finally the last straw that’s gonna keep us from doing this thing,’” fullback Kyle Juszczyk said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

For many The Sims fans, this is the last straw.

From Slate • Oct. 1, 2025

Some stores even staged walkouts, citing the dress code change as the last straw in a slew of new policies Starbucks that employees say are stifling and damaging their ability to properly do their jobs.

From Salon • Sep. 23, 2025

The last straw came about a week ago.

From BBC • Nov. 23, 2024

I wanted to tell someone that this was it, the last straw, I couldn’t go on anymore with my own misery plus Piper’s, which was so much worse.

From "How I Live Now" by Meg Rosoff