# the stroke that broke the camel's back

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/the-stroke-that-broke-the-camels-back
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Synonym of the straw that broke the camel's back.

## Examples

- That rude comment was the stroke that broke the camel's back.
- After months of missed deadlines, his final mistake was the stroke that broke the camel's back and led to his firing.
- While the team had endured numerous minor setbacks, this final failure proved to be the stroke that broke the camel's back, forcing them to abandon the project entirely.

---

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.