“The last straw” is the proverb for the final small thing that finally pushes us past breaking point. Here is what it means, where it comes from, how to use it, and a few sayings that share its idea.
What Does “The Last Straw” Mean?
The phrase means the final small problem or annoyance that, coming on top of a long series of others, finally causes a collapse, a loss of patience, or a breakdown. On its own that last little thing would be trivial — but added to everything that came before, it is one burden too many. The full version, “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” makes the image clear: a single straw is weightless, yet piled on an already overloaded camel, it brings the whole load down.
Origin of the Proverb
The idea was proverbial in England by the seventeenth century, though the original image was a feather or straw breaking a horse’s back — by 1677 writers spoke of “the last feather that breaks the horse’s back.” The more exotic camel took the horse’s place late in the eighteenth century, described in 1799 as an “Oriental proverb,” and the camel version was firmly established by the early 1800s. Charles Dickens helped popularise the short form “the last straw” in Dombey and Son (1848).
Examples in a Sentence
- “When he turned up late again, that was the last straw, and she ended it.”
- “The broken boiler was the last straw in a terrible week.”
- “Losing the contract was the straw that broke the camel’s back for the struggling firm.”
Similar Proverbs
- The straw that broke the camel’s back — the full form of the same proverb.
- The drop that makes the cup overflow — the small addition that tips things over the edge.
- Enough is enough — a point past which no more can be tolerated.
- It is the last drop that makes the cup run over — another version of the same idea.
For more clever sayings, see our smart thoughts and the full library of proverbs and their meanings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “the last straw” mean?
It means the final small problem that, on top of many others, finally causes a collapse or a loss of patience.
Where does the proverb come from?
It was proverbial in England by the 1600s — originally a feather or straw breaking a horse’s back — with the famous camel version appearing by the late 1700s.
What is the full version?
“The straw that broke the camel’s back” — a single straw added to an overloaded camel finally brings the whole load down.
