double whammy

American  

[duhb-uhl wam-ee, hwam-ee] / ˈdʌb əl ˈwæm i, ˈʰwæm i /

noun

Informal.

1. two devastating problems, setbacks, or catastrophes.

   The double whammy of insomnia and sleep apnea can make a night's rest almost impossible.

2. any doubled quantity or set of two.

   Visiting the sandwich shop and the ice cream shop makes a delightful savory-sweet double whammy for lunch.

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Etymology

Origin of double whammy

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Pulendran described the effect as a "double whammy."

From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026

As the technology selloff deepens, Oracle’s stock has been hit by a double whammy of generalized software concerns and jitters around the company’s own artificial-intelligence spending.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 5, 2026

Health care analysts predict hospitals and other providers will raise prices to cover the double whammy of lost Medicaid revenue and the cost of caring for an influx of newly uninsured patients.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

A double whammy of cutbacks in venture capital and government funding have taken a toll, leading to layoffs and struggles for job seekers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025

But misdigestion also carries with it a double whammy; fermenting and/or putrefying foods immediately interfere with the functioning of another vital organ--the large intestine--and cause constipation.

From How and When to Be Your Own Doctor by Solomon, Steve