double whammy

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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Recent Examples of double whammy Forbes senior contributor Paul Tassi calls the double whammy of high viewership numbers and hit songs impressive. Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025 Finally, milk and Greek yogurt provide some balance with a double whammy of protein. Caroline Tien, SELF, 22 May 2025 The double whammy establishes the Belgian director as a director to track. John Hopewell, Variety, 22 May 2025 Image If inflation prompts central banks to raise interest rates, African countries with large debt burdens are in for a double whammy. Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for double whammy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double whammy
Noun
  • The decline threatens to push record beef prices even higher, with tariffs limiting importers’ ability to soften the blow.
    Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
  • The Postal Savings Bank, established in 1911, softened the blow of the Great Depression for millions, before being killed by the big banks in 1967.
    Mark Dimondstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • During times of year when there are fewer weather disasters, the agency receives fewer calls and can choose to spend less money staffing call centers.
    Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 7 Aug. 2025
  • When a data disaster occurs, many IT professionals and system administrators focus on selecting powerful data recovery software or hiring professional services.
    Chongwei Chen, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day Through the voice of an aging butler, Ishiguro explores dignity, regret, and the quiet tragedies of a life spent serving others.
    Mark Nevins, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
  • The council additionally issued a two-day state of mourning in response to the tragedy, per a statement shared on Aug. 9.
    Toria Sheffield, People.com, 11 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Double whammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20whammy. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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