double down
Americanverb
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Cards. (in blackjack) to double an initial bet, on the condition that one can be dealt only one more card.
Will you double down and beat the dealer?
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to increase one’s efforts or hold to a position or opinion, especially when vulnerable or taking a risk.
He has continued to defend his controversial interpretation of the document, doubling down on what he sees as the truth.
Etymology
Origin of double down
First recorded in 1625–35, in another sense
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It’s that exact momentum that we need. When you double down on something, you’re giving more than hope, and you’re saying welcome back. Please come and do your work. Don’t stop doing this,” Nazarian said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
For Cash App, the move into Tags was an opportunity to double down on the customizability that already resonated with cardholders.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
There is a need to double down on preparations and equipment on land that is inherently hostile due to the harsh Arctic conditions.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
She urged the EU to "double down" in five areas: preventing irregular migration in the first place via cooperation with partner states; strengthening external borders; implementing early warning systems; dismantling smuggling networks and reinforcing returns.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
"Form up your battalion, Macwitty," he shouted, "and double down the hill."
From Under Wellington's Command A Tale of the Peninsular War by Walter Paget
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
