🔊 Jump to examples now
👉 See also: 80+ French loanwords (hub) »
Level B1 (Lower Intermediate)
Published March 14, 2026 — Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
The French Word of the Day is coup de grâce, meaning “the final blow.” Discover how to pronounce this French loanword and how it’s actually used in real-life conversation.
📘 Coup de grâce meaning in French
Coup de grâce (m.) translates literally to “blow of grace” and means “the final blow” in French. The phrase is also used in English as a French loanword, with the same pronunciation and meaning. Originally used in military contexts to describe the final strike delivered to a mortally wounded soldier, today it is usually used figuratively for the event that finally causes something to fail or collapse.
🎧 Coup de grâce pronunciation in French
The pronunciation of coup de grâce is /ku də ɡʁɑs/ (IPA), which sounds roughly like “koo duh grahs.”
📝 Coup de grâce usage examples
Ce but a été le coup de grâce de la Coupe du monde.
That goal was the final blow of the World Cup.
L’équipe a donné le coup de grâce à l’équipe adverse.
The team dealt the final blow to the opposing team.
L’avant-centre a porté le coup de grâce.
The center forward delivered the final blow.
La nouvelle taxe a été le coup de grâce pour l’entreprise.
The new tax was the final blow for the company.
Coup d’état, meaning a sudden seizure of power, is another high frequency loanword.
👉 See also: Coup d’état meaning and pronunciation »
❓ Want to feel more confident in French?
🎯 À Moi Paris — This is my top recommendation for online French courses, and it pairs wonderfully with my daily lessons. Camille Chevalier teaches with engaging audio stories that she records at three speeds. Her specialty is helping students with pronunciation and bridging the gap between textbook French and real spoken French as you hear it on the streets of Paris.
👉 Explore À Moi Paris »
👉 Read my review »
🎧 French Verb Drills — Having trouble with French verb conjugations? Camille’s audio drills break everything down step by step so you can finally lock in the patterns and speak with confidence.
If you purchase the courses, I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you.
🔗 Related words and expressions
- achever — to finish off, to put an end to
- mettre fin à — to put an end to
- la goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le vase — the last straw
- achever quelqu’un / quelque chose — to finish someone or something off
- porter un coup fatal — to deliver a fatal blow
- en finir avec — to put an end to something
📚 Related lessons on FrenchLearner!
👉 French loanwords (hub) »
👉 Coup d’état »
👉 Coup (hit, blow) »
