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Definition of double whammy
: a combination of two usually adverse forces, circumstances, or effects
Examples of double whammy in a Sentence
With the cold weather and the high cost of heating fuel, homeowners were hit with a double whammy this winter.
Recent Examples on the Web The south Louisiana double whammy reminded LaFleur of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which hit the state within weeks of each other 15 years ago this summer.
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Matt Sledge, NOLA.com, "Lake Charles evacuees in New Orleans weary as Hurricane Sally approaches: 'The tropics have gone crazy'," 14 Sep. 2020 The combination of bacteria and the coronavirus could prove to be a double whammy.
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Claire Gillespie, Health.com, "Public Restrooms Are Major Germ Zones—Here's How to Stay Safe," 11 Sep. 2020 The Hoxton is offering up a double whammy with the latest iteration of its famed $1 sale.
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Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, "You Could Score a Room at Any Hoxton Hotel in the World for $1 — but You'll Have to Act Fast," 9 Sep. 2020 Antarctic ice shelves may increasingly be at risk of a double whammy: simultaneous weakening of the top and bottom.
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Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, "Antarctica’s Ice Shelves May Be at Growing Risk of Collapse," 27 Aug. 2020 Back in February and March, as the worldwide spread of the new virus was just being recognized, many countries throughout the Southern Hemisphere girded for a double whammy.
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Andrew Meldrum, Star Tribune, "COVID-19 lockdowns blocked flu in some places but fall looms," 26 Aug. 2020 Back in February and March, as the worldwide spread of the new virus was just being recognized, many countries throughout the Southern Hemisphere girded for a double whammy.
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Andrew Meldrum, chicagotribune.com, "COVID-19 lockdowns blocked the flu in some places — but fall looms," 26 Aug. 2020 Welcome to a laptop shortage, in which the essential tool for schools and offices got hit by a double whammy, the coronavirus and President Donald Trump's trade tariffs on China.
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Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY, "Another pandemic shortage: What to do if you can't find a laptop?," 25 Aug. 2020 Hurricane Marco formed in the Central Gulf Coast Sunday afternoon with maximum winds of up to 75 mph as Tropical Storm Laura continued strengthening — a potential double whammy for the U.S. Gulf Coast, according to the National Hurricane Center.
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Joe Mario Pedersen, orlandosentinel.com, "Hurricane Marco, Tropical Storm Laura form dual threat to Gulf Coast; Florida Keys under tropical storm watch," 23 Aug. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'double whammy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Time Traveler for double whammy
The first known use of double whammy was in 1951
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