deathblow
Lethal finishing move
A deathblow is a strike or action that kills, or more often, something that destroys or ends something definitively: The scandal dealt a deathblow to his campaign.
The word usually appears figuratively—the final, decisive blow that finishes off something already weakened.
Causing death or ruin
- mortalSubject to death
- killingCausing death deliberately
- lethalCausing or capable of death
- slayingAct of killing
dispatch · execute · assassinate · slay · eliminate · strike · knockout · murder
Final portion or cessation
- finishBring to completion
- terminationAct of ending something
- conclusionEnd or deduction
- finaleConcluding part of performance
demise · extinction · annihilation · destruction · ruin · collapse · downfall · undoing
Victory over another
- vanquishDefeat thoroughly in conflict
- conquerOvercome by force
- crushCompress with force
- routOverwhelming one-sided victory
overcome · overpower · subdue · devastate · annihilate · demolish · destroy · obliterate
Quick to conclude
- conclusiveEnding all debate
- finalLast and decisive
- clinchingSettling something conclusively
- definitiveSettling a question finally
determining · critical · pivotal · crushing · game-changer · clincher · decider · settlement
fatal
Causing death or ruin
slaying · dispatch · execute · assassinate · slay · eliminate · strike · knockout · murder · homicide
end
Final portion or cessation
- finishBring to completion
- terminationAct of ending something
- conclusionEnd or deduction
finale · demise · extinction · annihilation · destruction · ruin · collapse · downfall · undoing · doom
defeat
Victory over another
rout · overcome · overpower · subdue · devastate · annihilate · demolish · destroy · obliterate · trounce
decisive
Quick to conclude
- conclusiveEnding all debate
- finalLast and decisive
- clinchingSettling something conclusively
definitive · determining · critical · pivotal · crushing · game-changer · clincher · decider · settlement · resolution
- finishing blowsfinisher, finishing move, kill shot, knockout, coup de grace
- Instakillsone-shot, killshot, finishing move, finisher, execution
deathblowlifeline
Essential connection to safety
kiss of life · shot in the arm · salvation · rescue · reprieve