double-edged sword

Definition of double-edged sword

: something that has or can have both favorable and unfavorable consequences This much freedom of expression and opinion can be a double-edged sword.— Linda Connors

Examples of double-edged sword in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The industries that brought jobs turned out to be a double-edged sword, Womack says, by leaving a legacy of pollution and cancers that many residents think were caused by emissions from the paper mills and other heavy industries. — National Geographic, "https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/02/clotilda-americas-last-slave-ship-stole-them-from-home-it-couldnt-steal-their-identities-feature.html," 16 Jan. 2020 Real-estate holdings are a double-edged sword, loan officers said. — Katy Mclaughlin, WSJ, "You’re Never Too Old to Apply for a Mortgage," 16 Jan. 2020 And as with any tourist hotspot, the influx of villagers is a double-edged sword. — Stephen Mays, CNN, "Settle in with these weekend reads," 10 Jan. 2020 Religion, the researcher noted can be a double-edged sword. — Bhanu Sridharan, Quartz India, "In a Himalayan Indian village, “leopards escort humans safely”," 24 Dec. 2019 In a new interview with ET, the group discussed the considerable expansion of K-pop and its increasing popularity among Western audiences, which can sometimes be a double-edged sword. — Sara Delgado, Teen Vogue, "NCT 127: “There’s Never Been a Time Like This for K-Pop”," 10 Dec. 2019 The open-top nature of the half track was a double-edged sword: while infantry could jump out over the side of the thin steel walls, there was no overhead protection to protect troops from airburst artillery. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "This Restored WWII Half-Track Is a Masterpiece," 19 Nov. 2019 But that’s a double-edged sword: Oregon mustn’t falter under the pressure that comes with controlling one’s Playoff destiny. — Jeremy Cluff, azcentral, "Oregon vs. Arizona picks, predictions: Wildcats huge underdogs in Pac-12 game vs. Ducks," 13 Nov. 2019 Ms Patel’s populist version of politics is also a double-edged sword. — The Economist, "Letting Priti Patel lead Britain’s law-and-order agenda is risky," 19 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'double-edged sword.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near double-edged sword

double-edged sword

double Englishman's knot

Statistics for double-edged sword

Last Updated

16 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Double-edged sword.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double-edged%20sword. Accessed 19 Feb. 2020.

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