double whammy

noun

: 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 As if her pants weren’t controversial enough, Moss opted for a pair of low-rise skinny jeans—a double whammy for those who want the 2000s to stay dead and buried. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2024 The Oscars faced the double whammy of starting an hour earlier and the switch to Daylight Savings Time. Brian Lowry, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 Thursday’s 125-122 loss to the Bulls was a double whammy for the Warriors. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2024 Taxpayers were served up a double whammy last year when millions of households who were struggling with still-high inflation received smaller tax refunds due to the expiration of pandemic benefits. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2024 The smaller tax refund in 2023 proved to be a double whammy for many Americans, who were at the same time reeling from high inflation that eroded their purchasing power. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2024 But the double whammy of the actors and writers strikes in Hollywood pushed the next year's Emmys telecast from September 2023 to January 2024. Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2024 The double whammy of two big layoffs in two years has been a phenomenon affecting other prominent technology companies, such as Google and Amazon, both of which have trimmed their once-steadily growing payrolls multiple times since the end of 2022. Michael Liedtke, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2024 Not that the double whammy of these two momentous, life-changing experiences seems to trouble her. Alex Ritman, Variety, 2 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'double whammy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of double whammy was in 1951

Dictionary Entries Near double whammy

Cite this Entry

“Double whammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double%20whammy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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