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
Since trees absorb carbon dioxide, the most abundant greenhouse gas, cutting them to then raise cattle is a double whammy.
—
Dave Smith, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
No one at this point, including the audience, knows that Nan is pregnant, but this double whammy sends her into a rage.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025
Look no further than the second part of today’s morning double whammy, as the Toronto International Film Festival has just announced its sprawling Centrepiece program, just one hour after the New York Film Festival released its own Main Slate.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2025
First Matthew Perry in 2023, then Shannen Doherty in 2024 (a double whammy with Our House and 90210, and especially painful just a few years after Luke Perry) and now Warner.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for double whammy
Dave Smith, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2025
No one at this point, including the audience, knows that Nan is pregnant, but this double whammy sends her into a rage.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025
Look no further than the second part of today’s morning double whammy, as the Toronto International Film Festival has just announced its sprawling Centrepiece program, just one hour after the New York Film Festival released its own Main Slate.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2025
First Matthew Perry in 2023, then Shannen Doherty in 2024 (a double whammy with Our House and 90210, and especially painful just a few years after Luke Perry) and now Warner.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for double whammy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double whammy
Noun
-
Yes, the Seahawks entered the game short-handed in the secondary, then suffered another blow when cornerback Riq Woolen suffered a concussion in the third quarter.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Business is booming, but President Chris Kohnle worries the 80-year-old, family-run establishment could soon take a blow.—
Miranda Dunlap,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The organization focuses on the big disasters that often grip the headlines, such as wildfires, floods, and hurricanes – but also offers information about preparing for winter storms, tsunamis, tornados, lightning, hail and extreme heat.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Freeport-McMoRan is likely to rebound from an environmental disaster last month at its giant Grasberg mine in Indonesia that led the copper and gold producer to cut its production estimates, according to UBS.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
After the tragedy, Gibson's attorney said the actor had since rehomed his beloved mastiffs.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
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There are too many stories, too many tragedies, and too many silver linings to properly detail, especially as the national media spotlight has long moved on to the next crisis.—
Garret K. Woodward,
Rolling Stone,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Double whammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20whammy. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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