Synonyms

double take

American

noun

a rapid or surprised second look, either literal or figurative, at a person or situation whose significance had not been completely grasped at first.

His friends did a double take when they saw how much weight he had lost.

double take British

noun

(esp in comedy) a delayed reaction by a person to a remark, situation, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of double take

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40

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.

See Examples For:

double take

Matt Burnham did a double take when he and his family got upgraded on a United flight to Peru and saw what was being served in business class.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

But in March, Kevin Vargas did a double take when he saw Nvidia’s announcement of the latest version of the technology.

From MarketWatch ● May 23, 2026

Hu observed the insects pausing briefly, almost as if doing a "double take," before gathering nearby.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 22, 2026

He'd arrived at the road adjacent to the tree and had to "double take" as he saw it for the first time lying on its side.

From BBC ● May 9, 2025

A little kid did a double take when they landed.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023