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
Now they're caught in a double bind: 85% of the mineral fertilizer potash used by American farmers comes from Canada, while our northern neighbor also provides a quarter of farmers' nitrogen needs.
—
Phil Lempert, Forbes.com, 13 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
That leaves the consumer in a double bind: still resilient, but increasingly forced to be discerning, particularly in a world where prices perniciously creep up.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
The double bind of healthcare and legal danger made my life in this country suffocating.
—Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for double bind
Phil Lempert, Forbes.com, 13 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
That leaves the consumer in a double bind: still resilient, but increasingly forced to be discerning, particularly in a world where prices perniciously creep up.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
The double bind of healthcare and legal danger made my life in this country suffocating.
—Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for double bind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double bind
Noun
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Readers send Miss Manners not only their table and party questions, but those involving the more complicated aspects of life - romance, work, family relationships, child-rearing, death - as well as philosophical and moral dilemmas.—
Judith Martin,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Jan. 2026
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Rodríguez’s dilemma is compounded by the collapse of traditional military command.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Her main problem was with the MAGA movement in general, believing that her negative interactions with MAGA protesters reflected the hearts and minds of the movement more broadly.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Jan. 2026
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No, a Super Bowl run isn't likely for this team, but Pittsburgh does have a bit of a unique offense that could give defenses that rely on their pass rush problems.—
Austin Mock,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Double bind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20bind. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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