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

The dynamic has put some condo owners in a double bind, Marcus said — unable to afford special assessments for repairs or rising maintenance fees and insurance rates, but also unable to sell their units for a reasonable sum. —Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2025

The concept evidently places defense lawyers in a double bind. —Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025

The double bind highlights the hypocrisy women face at work. —Dr. Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025

Despite firm commitments to advancing women into leadership roles, significant barriers remain, starting with the double bind. —Dr. Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for double bind

• countersigned
• disinclined
• humankind
• interlined
• intertwined
• mastermind
• misaligned
• nonaligned
• predefined
• realigned
• reassigned
• recombined

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