double-edged sword
noun
a sword whose blade has two cutting edges.
double-edged swords
-
pluralof double-edged sword.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
I think it's played a big role in it, and it's one of those double-edged swords that we couldn't get movement on the case without all this attention.
From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2023
The demands of the K-pop industry, and the intensity of the artist-fan relationship, can be double-edged swords, as an increasing number of stars can attest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2022
But some policies could prove to be double-edged swords.
From Reuters ● May 16, 2022
They’re double-edged swords — as dangerous to Russia as to America.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 28, 2021
There are such things as double-edged swords And untrue friends,—I fear them both.
From Don Carlos by Friedrich Schiller
