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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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 Philadelphia region is facing a double whammy of record-breaking heat mixed with the area's poor air quality. — Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 19 May 2026 Standardized options included a double whammy of increasing premiums and deductibles or other patient cost-sharing. — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Grocery supply chains Other grocery goods, such as fresh produce, which have more complex supply chains and require refrigeration throughout, could be hit with a double whammy of cost increases. — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’s cancellation is a double whammy, as CBS is scrapping The Late Show format for good. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for double whammy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for double whammy

Noun

Vingegaard’s victory at the Giro d’Italia in May, allied with Wout Van Aert’s cathartic win at Paris-Roubaix, has delivered two key objectives but the surprise departure of head of racing Grischa Niermann to Lidl-Trek was a blow.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Hers is a voice that ought to have a lifetime’s staying power, bolstered by a lyrical and musical sensibility that provide everything her instrument needs to deliver a happy succession of knockout blows.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 3 July 2026

Definition of blow

Noun

Rodríguez said numerous public officials died in the disaster, including security personnel, municipal employees and military officers.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
The Boyle Heights blaze, similar to the Eaton and Palisades fires, has revealed the region’s air monitoring can’t always tell people what they’ve been exposed to in a disaster.

— Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

Definition of disaster

Noun

In the work of fiction, the ship is taken over to prevent catastrophe.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2026
The young girls are referred to as Heaven’s 27 by their surviving families, who are determined to honor their legacy by ensuring such a catastrophe never happens again.

— Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026

Definition of catastrophe

Browse Nearby Words

double whammies

double whammy

double-wide

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Double whammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20whammy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of double whammy

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes