DOUBLE WHAMMY Synonyms: 32 Similar and Opposite Words

double whammy

noun

Definition of double whammy

as in blow

informal a situation that is bad in two different ways; a situation in which two bad conditions exist at the same time or two bad things happen one after the other With the cold weather and the high cost of heating fuel, homeowners were hit with a double whammy this winter.

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of double whammy The double whammy of new classes and high temps is all the more reason to treat yourself — or the back-to-schooler in your life — at one of these incredible new ice cream and gelato destinations around the region. — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026 Radio got hit with a double whammy of bad news last week, affecting both AM and FM bands. — Richard Wagoner, Daily News, 10 Aug. 2026 But a renter has probably absorbed years of increases, while new homebuyers face the double whammy of steep prices and high borrowing costs. — Brandy Hadley, Fortune, 31 July 2026 The common denominator is an allergy to red meat, but some people get hit with the double whammy of meat and dairy. — Andy Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for double whammy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for double whammy

Noun

Now, in yet another blow to national self-esteem, the ex-head of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, the BND, has been arrested on charges of exploiting state secrets.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 17 Oct. 2026
The pro-Western opposition parties won big Saturday in the Czech Republic’s vote to fill one-third of the seats in Parliament’s upper house, the Senate, handing a blow to the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of blow

Noun

Faizi said ambulances and disaster management personnel arrived from a nearby facility within five minutes of being alerted.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
For example, largely because of the environmental disaster that is Weikuang Dam, the country doesn’t permit the development or operation of stand-alone monazite mines—that is, mines where nothing is mined except monazite ore.

— Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of disaster

Noun

In a 2024 interview with TIME, Netanyahu denied making the statement, insisting that the payments were meant to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
Information and statistics are flying around, with some groups framing the AI data center boom as a potential environmental catastrophe, while others say concerns are overblown or even fake.

— Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of catastrophe

Noun

There’s a slickness to the carnage that rubs uncomfortably against the film’s humanist ethos, rendering artificial (for all Shen Teng’s trembling and mouth-contorting labors) the horrific tragedies that befall its characters.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
After Monday’s tragedy prompted Six Flags Over Georgia to evacuate guests, a spokesperson said the amusement park will reopen Friday.

— Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of tragedy

Browse Nearby Words

double whammies

double whammy

double-wide

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“Double whammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20whammy. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of double whammy

noun

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