double bind

noun

: a psychological predicament in which a person receives from a single source conflicting messages that allow no appropriate response to be made

broadly : dilemma sense 1

Synonyms

• catch-22
• dilemma
• quandary

Examples of double bind in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s a double bind in a region where households are both less financially able to weather severe climate events but — in many cases — more likely to experience them. —Jasmine Cui, NBC News, 17 Sep. 2024

And then: • A Jewish magazine’s double bind • Can Kamala Harris win? —Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2024

For the pop stars of ten or twenty years ago, girlhood and femininity presented a double bind. —Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 21 July 2024

These emotional stereotypes present a double bind for parents hoping to help their children develop emotional intelligence and autonomy. —Pragya Agarwal, Scientific American, 24 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

double bind

noun

dou·​ble bind ˈdəb-əl-ˈbīnd 

: a psychological predicament in which a person receives from a single source conflicting messages that allow no appropriate response to be made