whipsawed; whipsawing; whipsaws
1
: to saw with a whipsaw
2
: to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by a two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents
wage earners were whipsawed by inflation and high taxes
Did you know?
A whipsaw is a type of hand-powered saw worked by two people, one of whom stands on or above the log being sawed and the other below it, usually in a pit. The tool dates back to the 15th century, but it was not until the 19th century that anyone thought to use the saw's name figuratively to describe situations in which someone or something is doubly "cut," or hurt. Today, the word is commonly used when discussing financial crises or losses as well as ideological changes (as in government policy) that might "cut."
Examples of whipsaw in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Caroline Aiken Koster, New York Daily News, 1 Jan. 2025
In southeastern Utah, the whipsaw of American politics is playing out on the ground, frustrating everyone, and with no end in sight.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
Carol Rosenberg, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich From the masterful Louise Erdrich comes the story of a North Dakota farming community whipsawed by crises.
—Staff, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Dec. 2024
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Noun
Or anyone whose politics diverge from prevailing winds. Lately, everything whipsaws between good and evil.
—Caroline Aiken Koster, New York Daily News, 1 Jan. 2025
In southeastern Utah, the whipsaw of American politics is playing out on the ground, frustrating everyone, and with no end in sight.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
Tuesday’s move seeking to overturn Colonel McCall’s ruling was the latest to whipsaw the families of the nearly 3,000 victims of the attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon, who are divided over how the 12-year-old case should be resolved.
—Carol Rosenberg, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich From the masterful Louise Erdrich comes the story of a North Dakota farming community whipsawed by crises.
—Staff, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for whipsaw
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Cite this Entry
“Whipsaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whipsaw. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
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