# last straw

idiom · CEFR B2

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/last-straw
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A small addition to an already heavy burden which causes it to exceed the capacity.

## Examples

- That rude comment was the last straw for me.
- The printer jammed again, and that was the last straw, so I threw it in the trash.
- After months of missed deadlines and broken promises, the final delay proved to be the last straw, compelling the board to terminate the manager's contract immediately.

## Origin

From the mid-19th-century proverb 'the last straw that breaks the camel's back' (an earlier version had a feather breaking a horse's back). (disputed)

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.