1
as in spell
a spoken word or set of words believed to have magic power
if you tell anyone about this, I swear I'll put the whammy on you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in curse
something that brings bad luck
put the whammy on herself by publicly predicting that she would win the tennis tournament
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of whammy
The idea to host a triple whammy of a book signing fete came while the pals were holidaying in Sicily this summer.
—
Freya Drohan, Vogue, 11 Dec. 2024
Wealthy world travelers ready to roster their homes with top tier staff are hitting the same speed bump, with a triple whammy of factors creating the crisis.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2024
The big picture: The triple whammy of Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, and the Boeing strike are likely to distort economic data in the coming weeks, making the usual indicators of the economy's health more difficult to dissect.
—Neil Irwin, Axios, 11 Oct. 2024
Watson’s poor performance is something of a triple whammy for Cleveland: The team is losing games, his contract is onerous, and former Browns quarterbacks are thriving with other teams.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 6 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for whammy
Freya Drohan, Vogue, 11 Dec. 2024
Wealthy world travelers ready to roster their homes with top tier staff are hitting the same speed bump, with a triple whammy of factors creating the crisis.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2024
The big picture: The triple whammy of Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, and the Boeing strike are likely to distort economic data in the coming weeks, making the usual indicators of the economy's health more difficult to dissect.
—Neil Irwin, Axios, 11 Oct. 2024
Watson’s poor performance is something of a triple whammy for Cleveland: The team is losing games, his contract is onerous, and former Browns quarterbacks are thriving with other teams.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 6 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for whammy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whammy
Noun
-
Overall, warmer days are on the way for much of the central and southern U.S., with milder conditions for the Northeast following extended spells of teeth-chattering chills in February, Sosnowski said.—
Doyle Rice,
USA TODAY,
23 Feb. 2025
-
Long spells of sitting in airports and on airplanes is a common story among patients who come to the ER with one or more clots in their legs — or worse, evidence that a clot has broken free and traveled through the bloodstream to lodge in the lungs, a serious condition called a pulmonary embolus.—
Arthur L. Kellermann,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The Chinese Communist Party is a curse upon the earth.—
Jay Nordlinger,
National Review,
19 Feb. 2025
-
Finishing fifth — or even fourth, as Liverpool managed last season — has historically been a bit of a curse, with teams struggling to build on their successes.—
Jessy Parker Humphreys,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
And while some Kansas City fans (and McAfee) may be worried that a haircut could put a jinx on the team, #15 already had that worked out.—
Effie Orfanides,
Newsweek,
18 Feb. 2025
-
The jinx broke when the Jordan basketball teams won a double victory during last Friday’s game with Chaska.—
Contributed Content,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whammy. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share