double whammy
Americannoun
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two devastating problems, setbacks, or catastrophes.
The double whammy of insomnia and sleep apnea can make a night's rest almost impossible.
-
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Quantum stocks, more volatile than the broader market, endured Friday’s double whammy.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Enter the ultimate double whammy: playgrounds near coffee shops.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
They scored twice in four minutes, a double whammy that put them in front.
From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026
As the technology selloff deepens, Oracle’s stock has been hit by a double whammy of generalized software concerns and jitters around the company’s own artificial-intelligence spending.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 5, 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 Solomon, Steve
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.
