1
as in spell
a spoken word or set of words believed to have magic power
if you tell anyone about this, I swear I'll put the whammy on you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in curse
something that brings bad luck
put the whammy on herself by publicly predicting that she would win the tennis tournament
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 whammy
Additional core features on both guitars include multiple connectivity options — wired, 2.4GHz wireless, and Bluetooth — and an eight-button navigation hub, an analog stick for menu navigation, and a Hall-effect whammy bar for enhanced durability.
—
Matt Gardner, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
The current bills, if approved, would represent a triple whammy against historic districts and a boon to developers.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2025
The Sox suffered a triple whammy Wednesday, losing catcher Korey Lee and outfielder Mike Tauchman to injury and then losing the game 3-2 in crushing fashion.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 10 Apr. 2025
The truth is, luck had nothing to do with it.
Larson, played here by Paul Walter Hauser, had memorized the five patterns of seemingly random blinking lights on the Big Board, successfully avoided whammies, and took CBS for an unprecedented sum.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whammy
Matt Gardner, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
The current bills, if approved, would represent a triple whammy against historic districts and a boon to developers.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2025
The Sox suffered a triple whammy Wednesday, losing catcher Korey Lee and outfielder Mike Tauchman to injury and then losing the game 3-2 in crushing fashion.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 10 Apr. 2025
The truth is, luck had nothing to do with it.
Larson, played here by Paul Walter Hauser, had memorized the five patterns of seemingly random blinking lights on the Big Board, successfully avoided whammies, and took CBS for an unprecedented sum.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whammy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whammy
Noun
-
When Wednesday asks how to make the tears stop, Morticia forces her to give up Goody’s book of spells.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
In the end, Thing lets Morticia take Goody’s book of spells.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Rumors of a Satanic curse on the event skittered around the Haight, so early on the morning of the 14th, Ginsberg, Snyder, and Alan Watts conducted a pradakshina, a Buddhist purification rite.—
Dennis McNally,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
-
As those points attest, emotional wording can be a blessing and a curse.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Still, as tempting as this might be for some of you, please avoid the temptation to label his coming season as a sophomore jinx if his team doesn't advance deep into the playoffs.—
Geoffrey Knox,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
-
Knocking on wood: This age-old superstition is believed to prevent bad luck or jinxes.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American-Statesman,
13 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Whammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whammy. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share