double-edged

adjective

dou·​ble-edged ˌdə-bəl-ˈejd How to pronounce double-edged (audio)
1
: having two cutting edges
a double-edged knife
2
a
: having two components or aspects
a spy with a double-edged mission
b
: capable of being taken in two ways
a double-edged remark

Examples of double-edged in a Sentence

the double-edged purpose of the sales promotion is to clear out existing stock and to attract new customers her double-edged remark that she hoped that I ultimately got what I deserved
Recent Examples on the Web Usually double-edged, the weapons were occasionally decorated with engraved patterns. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024 Among artists and intellectuals, technology has always been double-edged, utopian and dystopian. Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2023 Moran’s joke is double-edged. Giles Harvey, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2023 Trending For Sohn, identity is double-edged. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Feb. 2023 Nearly all executives and investors in this niche of neurotechnology acknowledge Musk’s impact on the field, though some say it is double-edged. Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'double-edged.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of double-edged was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near double-edged

Cite this Entry

“Double-edged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double-edged. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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