double-edged sword
Americannoun
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a sword whose blade has two cutting edges.
This game character wields a wide double-edged sword to slice an enemy in two, armor and all, with brute strength.
-
something whose desirable effects are necessarily accompanied by undesirable ones.
Studying from home is a double-edged sword—you can roll out of bed at 10 a.m. and attend class in your pajamas, but you can skip class with equal ease.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of double-edged sword
First recorded in 1580–90
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.
May’s surprisingly strong jobs report could soon feel like a double-edged sword for borrowers struggling to keep up with inflation and their bills.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
Gellar wields a double-edged sword: “Buffy” helped shape the landscape of modern TV, but it’s because the show was and is so popular that the role sticks to her no matter where she goes.
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026
This means that virtual communication is a double-edged sword.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026
For him, higher beef prices have been a double-edged sword.
From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026
Thus did the economics of Big Science create a double-edged sword.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
