triple threat

American  

noun

1. an expert in three different fields or in three different skills in the same field.

2. Football. a back who is proficient at running, passing, and punting.

   The triple threat is a rare find for coaches.

---

triple threat Idioms  

1. A person who is adept in three areas, as in She's a triple threat on the editorial staff—she can edit, write, and design pages. This term comes from football, where it signifies a player who is good at running, passing, and kicking. [c. 1920] Also see hat trick.

---

Etymology

Origin of triple threat

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

triple threat

The technical triple threat has led the S&P 500 to a breakdown, below its 50-DMA.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026

But all the biographical detail brings us no closer to what made him such a successful triple threat of eyewash.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

The economy could be facing a triple threat of persistent inflation, rate hikes and job losses.

From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026

This time, markets are watching for intervention as Japan faces a complex triple threat: rising crude prices, a widening trade deficit and a fundamental shift in domestic fiscal policy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026

Bluetongue virus is one element of a triple threat of animal diseases that, earlier this year, the agriculture environment and rural affairs minister warned the agri-food industry faced.

From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2025