whammy

noun

ˈ(h)wa-mē How to pronounce whammy (audio)
Definition of whammynext
1
as in spell
a spoken word or set of words believed to have magic power if you tell anyone about this, I swear I'll put the whammy on you

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in curse
something that brings bad luck put the whammy on herself by publicly predicting that she would win the tennis tournament

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 whammy Extreme heat this week has Chicago-area households facing a brutal double-whammy—staying safely cool without triggering a heart-stopping electric bill. — Cbs Chicago Team, CBS News, 29 June 2026 The incident, which was part of a double-whammy of violent encounters for the hijacker that day, was preventable and should have been better controlled, according to a wrongful-death suit filed by Jazzmyn Byrd, the daughter of a man who was shot during the hijacking. — Alex Nettles, AJC.com, 11 June 2026 The triple whammy of the COVID-19 closures, inflation and technological disruption has left everyone hurting. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 And if your data needs extra safeguarding, the My Passport SSD comes with 256-bit AES hardware encryption and password protection for a double security whammy. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for whammy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whammy
  1. spell
  2. curse
  3. jinx
Noun
  • In France, more than 1,000 excess deaths were recorded during the heat spell, according to the country’s national public health agency.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • Dettori retired as a jockey after taking some rides in Brazil following a spell racing in the United States, Britain's PA news agency reported.
    — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of spell
Noun
  • Brazil’s European curse at the World Cup continues thanks to Norway’s biggest star.
    — Andy Clayton, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026
  • Not obsessed One Wish Willow Nikki, but actual Nikki, now awoken from her curse when Bear dies.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of curse
Noun
  • McTominay has also been in exceptional form for the Scottish national team during the recent qualifying cycle, and his performance will be crucial if Scotland is going to break the 72-year-long jinx of never having advanced to the knockout stage of a World Cup.
    — Tushaar Kuthiala, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 June 2026
  • Turns out Danhausen isn’t the only celebrity throwing down jinxes.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026
Definition of jinx

Phrases Containing whammy

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whamming
whammy
whams
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Cite this Entry

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

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