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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
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
See All Example Sentences for double bind
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
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
See All Example Sentences for double bind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double bind
Noun
-
The Sox faced an interesting dilemma in the 11th inning on Saturday.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
-
That’s Duncan’s dilemma from the very beginning of this fitfully hilarious episode of The Audacity.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This was the problem with conjuring my mother.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Rising to the #1 spot signals strong business fundamentals, consumer trust and a product that genuinely solves a modern pet owner’s problem.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Double bind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20bind. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
