double whammy

Definition of double whammynext
as in blow
informal a situation that is bad in two different ways; a situation in which two bad conditions exist at the same time or two bad things happen one after the other With the cold weather and the high cost of heating fuel, homeowners were hit with a double whammy this winter.

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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 whammy For Apple, this is a double whammy. Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 7 Apr. 2026 That double whammy compounds a pressure that was already four years in the making. Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026 Grocery supply chains Other grocery goods, such as fresh produce, which have more complex supply chains and require refrigeration throughout, could be hit with a double whammy of cost increases. Garrett Downs, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026 After the Chicago Bears were hit with a double whammy on the offensive line, Ben Johnson said discussions about left tackle with GM Ryan Poles have been ongoing. Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for double whammy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double whammy
Noun
  • To pay for her medical bills, the family had to sell most of their remaining cattle and goats, a bitter blow after years of drought had already decimated local herds.
    Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026
  • This makes for a significant setback but not necessarily a fatal blow to the facility.
    CBS News, CBS News, 31 May 2026
Noun
  • The offense has been a disaster, the pitching staff has sustained some key injuries and the club has spent the first two months struggling to keep its head above water.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
  • The Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters maps and tracks every chemical disaster reported by the media on its website.
    Jason Henry, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Noun
  • Liaquat Ahamed has spent his career studying the moments when the world’s financial system breaks down — the bad bets, the collective delusions, and the geopolitical accidents that tip economies into catastrophe.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 June 2026
  • Richards had begun privately doubting the timeline—traveling to Paris and London for modeling work, looking around, and noticing an absence of catastrophe.
    JP Mangalindan, Time, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • The sheriff says that 15 to 20 community members stepped up to help in the aftermath of this tragedy.
    Olivia Young, CBS News, 3 June 2026
  • Convoluted race shaped by tragedy As the California Senate president last fall, McGuire helped Democrats successfully engineer and secure passage of Proposition 50.
    Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Double whammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20whammy. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

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