double binds

plural of double bind
as in dilemmas
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for double binds
Noun
  • With plenty to build on considering the way running back Kenneth Walker III’s presence in the backfield is creating crucial dilemmas for opposing defenses that for too long have been able to just predicate everything on stopping Mahomes.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Like the genre itself, the final season’s lingering dilemmas aren’t unheard of, but the way they’re explored is unique, creative, and insightful.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Here are a few of the critical problems the mathematicians identified.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
  • An election security expert, Ben Adida, told the board Thursday the state had already taken steps to reduce risks to the voting system and that a software update days ahead of a major election could cause bigger problems.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Double binds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20binds. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster