double-dip

verb

dou·​ble-dip ˌdə-bəl-ˈdip 

double-dipped; double-dipping; double-dips

intransitive verb

1

: to obtain money from two sources at the same time or by two separate accounting methods

Apparently, preferred shareholders get to double-dip. During the liquidation of the company, they get their money back first. Then they split the rest on a pro rata basis with us lowly common-stock holders.

—Mo Schumpeter

especially : to draw a pension from one government department while working for another

2

: to repeat the action of dipping a chip or other snack into a shared dipping sauce or mixture after taking a bite

But bring up nachos and suddenly everyone wants a place at the same table, the nacho table of peace—at least until someone tries to double-dip.

—Jeff Johnson

Everybody seems to double-dip at cocktail parties. Should I be concerned about the germs they leave behind?

—Jessica Rollins

double-dipper

ˌdə-bəl-ˈdi-pər 

noun

plural double-dippers

Keegan was an academy graduate who had put in his thirty and retired to become a double-dipper. In uniform, he'd been an intelligence specialist, and now he had essentially the same job, which added civil service salary to his pension.

—Tom Clancy

An unabashed double-dipper, he's that rare neatnik who doesn't fear germs.

—Jennifer Tung

double-dipping

ˌdə-bəl-ˈdi-piŋ 

noun

Most of the trusts are overseen by plaintiff lawyers … Can they be counted on to weed out double-dipping and false claims?

—Daniel Fisher

Double-dipping is gross, but it's unclear how bad it is for your health. One study did show there are more bacteria in the salsa after someone dunks twice, but they're the kind that normally live in our mouth and are pretty innocuous.

—Self

Examples of double-dip in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Walmart, America’s largest employer, gets a double-dip of the food assistance program. —Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025

Perhaps as an incentive for hardcore fans to double-dip, when Wallen plays two nights in almost every city, none of those two-nighters will have the same primary opening act both nights. —Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025

The talk show hosts and real-life spouses proceeded to diss double-dipping terrors. —Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Oct. 2025

Sony’s double-dipping is indicative of a larger trend, where the terms remake and remaster begin to blur — but the steep price tag remains constant. —George Yang, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 1