Definition

Noun: 1. A final, decisive, or fatal blow or action: An event, action, or piece of information that causes the definite end, failure, or destruction of something. * Example: The scandal dealt a deathblow to his political career. 2. A blow that causes death: Literally, a strike that kills someone, often implying it ends suffering. * Example: The hunter considered it his duty to deliver a quick deathblow to the mortally wounded animal.

Usage Examples

• The sudden loss of their major investor was the deathblow that forced the startup to close.
• The new evidence provided the deathblow to the prosecution's case.
• In the novel, the hero's final strike was the deathblow to the dragon.

Advanced Usage

• To deal/strike a deathblow to something: This is the most common collocation, meaning to cause the definitive end of something.
  • Example: The invention of the smartphone dealt a deathblow to the market for standalone digital cameras.
• To administer a deathblow: A more formal variant, often used in literary or historical contexts.
  • Example: The general administered the final deathblow to the rebellion.

Variants and Related Words

• Death blow (noun phrase): An alternative, two-word spelling with the same meaning.
• Coup de grâce (noun): A French term often used synonymously with , especially for a merciful final act or a finishing stroke.
• Finishing blow/stroke (noun phrase): A less severe synonym, emphasizing the final action rather than necessarily causing complete destruction.
• Knockout blow (noun phrase): Primarily used in boxing or metaphorically for an action that decisively defeats an opponent.

Synonyms

• Finisher
• Killer (informal, as in "killer app" or "killer argument")
• Final straw (idiom, emphasizes being the last in a series of problems)
• Coup de grâce

Antonyms

• Lifeline
• Reprieve
• Revival
• Breath of life

Related Idioms and Phrases

• The kiss of death: An idiom for an action or association that guarantees failure, similar in metaphorical use to a .
  • Example: His endorsement was the kiss of death for the candidate's campaign.
• To drive the final nail in the coffin: An idiom meaning to do something that makes failure or death inevitable, closely related to dealing a .
  • Example: The poor sales figures drove the final nail in the coffin for the product line.

Noun

1. the blow that kills (usually mercifully)