final nail in the coffin
Something that is ultimately responsible for a previously prospective demise or failure.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“This bad review was the final nail in the coffin for the restaurant.”
“The company lost its biggest client yesterday, which felt like the final nail in the coffin for their struggling business.”
“After years of declining sales and poor management, the sudden loss of their primary investor served as the final nail in the coffin for the once-prosperous firm.”
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another nail in someone's coffin
An event that increases the likelihood of or causes further failure.
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bite one's nails
To worry or fret over something.
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China's final warning
A warning that carries no real consequences; an empty threat.
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final cut
In the movie industry, the final released version of a film.
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final say
The right to make a final decision.
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hard as nails
Very unsympathetic; callous
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hit the nail on the head
To identify something exactly; to arrive at exactly the right answer.
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last nail in the coffin
Alternative form of final nail in the coffin.
Last updated August 10, 2026