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.

---

Etymology

Origin of double whammy

First recorded in 1935–40

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

double whammy

The public finances remain under pressure, however, from the double whammy of rising inflation and borrowing costs.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

Production workers in Los Angeles have felt a double whammy as other states and countries have offered generous tax subsidies that have pulled productions from L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

House hunters still face a financial double whammy rarely seen: rapidly rising mortgage rates and home prices that, while growing more slowly, keep hitting record highs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Navigating that double whammy of monetary stress forced me to make some high-stakes personal-finance decisions.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026

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 Steve Solomon

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---