as in dilemma
a situation in which one has to choose between two or more equally unsatisfactory choices
the double bind faced by every politician: responding to scurrilous charges only gives them unwarranted publicity; not responding to such charges is often interpreted as an admission of guilt
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Recent Examples of double bind
China is already facing a double bind of labor shortages in some sectors and unemployment in others.
—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
And when that pressure collided with the 43-day shutdown—which paused SNAP for millions before benefits were restored—some households faced a double bind: food money late, car payment due.
—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Nov. 2025
This double bind can be traumatic.
—
Hind Haddad,
The Conversation,
30 Sep. 2025
During the Biden Presidency, the government faced a double bind with Venezuelans: Their country, run by a vicious dictator and beset by a humanitarian crisis, had for years refused to accept deportations from the U.S.
—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for double bind
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
And when that pressure collided with the 43-day shutdown—which paused SNAP for millions before benefits were restored—some households faced a double bind: food money late, car payment due.
—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Nov. 2025
This double bind can be traumatic.
—
Hind Haddad,
The Conversation,
30 Sep. 2025
During the Biden Presidency, the government faced a double bind with Venezuelans: Their country, run by a vicious dictator and beset by a humanitarian crisis, had for years refused to accept deportations from the U.S.
—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for double bind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double bind
Noun
-
Perhaps every story in which the characters are fundamentally unable to change their lives is subject to this same dilemma.
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Casa Amor, as a concept, is traditionally structured like a prisoner’s dilemma, with neither the main villa nor Casa Islanders aware of what their counterparts are doing while they’re separated.
Noun
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All the problems of the world are a result of humans being lost and controlled by their egos.
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The problem is set to worsen as temperatures continue to rise.
Cite this Entry
“Double bind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20bind. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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