double bind

Definition of double bindnext
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of double bind As if breaking the law would offer a symbolic release from this double bind, the third video documents Liden trespassing into the apartment of an anonymous hoarder. — Erika Landström, Artforum, 2 June 2026 Cast members of color, on the other hand, are often trapped in a double bind of sorts. — Shamira Ibrahim, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026 China is already facing a double bind of labor shortages in some sectors and unemployment in others. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026 This double bind can be traumatic. — Hind Haddad, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for double bind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double bind
Noun
  • Hitchcock’s Rear Window, though not a road horror film, is about the moral dilemmas associated with encounters with the other, particularly with regards to voyeurism.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
  • This is a league-wide dilemma created from an environment that pays its employees handsomely for wins and fires them for losses.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • There’s also evidence supporting some non-drug treatments for hot flashes, night sweats and sleep or mood problems, ACOG said.
    — Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The infrastructure addresses a problem that emerged as Codex accelerated software development.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Double bind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20bind. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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