as in blow
informal
a situation that is bad in two different ways; a situation in which two bad conditions exist at the same time or two bad things happen one after the other
With the cold weather and the high cost of heating fuel, homeowners were hit with a double whammy this winter.
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Recent Examples of double whammy
Boston Red Sox: Catcher, shortstop The Red Sox are next with a double whammy up the middle.
—
Eno Sarris, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
But fear not, because there is a solution to this double whammy: innovation.
—Forrester, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
Heat waves after the hurricanes passed, when people had no electricity, often caused a double whammy in impacts, Dahl said.
—Ramon Padilla, USA TODAY, 31 Dec. 2024
The devastating tornadoes that swept through Rolling Fork, Mississippi, in March 2023 were a double whammy for Andrea Williams, who was looking forward to celebrating her birthday that day.
—Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for double whammy
Eno Sarris, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
But fear not, because there is a solution to this double whammy: innovation.
—Forrester, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
Heat waves after the hurricanes passed, when people had no electricity, often caused a double whammy in impacts, Dahl said.
—Ramon Padilla, USA TODAY, 31 Dec. 2024
The devastating tornadoes that swept through Rolling Fork, Mississippi, in March 2023 were a double whammy for Andrea Williams, who was looking forward to celebrating her birthday that day.
—Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for double whammy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double whammy
Noun
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The library now needs to build out the new Canadian entrance to code — a blow to a not-for-profit organization that has existed on a limited endowment since 1908.—
Cara Tabachnick,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2025
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New York City's drinking water could eventually absorb a blow if reservoirs supplying a portion of it become vacated due to rising salinity, according to a new report.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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All the while, he’s typically dressed in a form-fitting dress, a shoulder-length wig and heeled boots (because open-toed shoes around hatchets and augers could spell disaster).—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2025
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However, he’s also had his share of expensive disasters, such as Joao Felix, Santiago Arias and Nikola Kalinić.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
30 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The Room Next Door shares the same theme, allowing director Pedro Almodóvar to address Covid-era tragedy, much as directing team Scott McGehee and David Siegel do in The Friend.—
Armond White,
National Review,
2 Apr. 2025
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Kilmer’s passion for performing was fostered early — during an active, adventurous childhood in Chatsworth, Calif., making homemade films and plays alongside his brothers Mark and Wesley — and also shaped by tragedy.—
Kara Warner,
People.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Double whammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20whammy. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
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