the last straw

Cultural  

1. The last in a series of grievances or burdens that finally exceeds the limits of endurance: “The management has given me nothing but trouble since I took this job, and now they've cut my benefits! Well, that's the last straw: I quit!” It comes from an old expression, “the straw that broke the camel's back.”

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last straw, the Idioms  

1. The final annoyance or setback, which even though minor makes one lose patience. For example, I could put up with his delays and missed deadlines, but when he claimed the work was unimportant—that was the last straw! This term is a shortening of the straw that broke the camel's back, which conveys a vivid image of an overloaded animal being given one slight additional weight. The expression dates from the mid-1800s, and replaced the earlier the last feather that breaks the horse's back.

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Example Sentences

“This was the last straw. The regime over the years had argued that although it has not been able to bring about prosperity or pluralism for the Iranians, at least it had brought them safety and security. Turns out, it didn’t,” said Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group.

From The Wall Street Journal

The shock is the last straw; the building’s integrity is officially compromised.

From Literature

Vance’s Yale friend Jamil Jivani, who is mentioned in the book, told van Zuylen-Wood that “the last straw”—the offense that fully convinced Vance to reject the ruling elites—was that snotty critics gave the Ron Howard–Glenn Close Elegy adaptation, which has a good audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, bad reviews.

From Slate

“The most recent news should be the last straw,” the statement said, adding: “All state attorneys general must be above reproach. For too long Paxton has teetered on the edge. He needs to go, and an independent investigation should be launched immediately.”

From New York Times

Jadczak’s televised investigation about the takeover and mismanagement at Wisla — broadcast by TVN in September — was the last straw; the club’s top officials resigned, and the city of Krakow persuaded Poland’s soccer authorities to send any money owed to the club to the city instead, to cover unpaid rent at a city-owned stadium.

From New York Times