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The origin of whammy is not entirely certain, but it is assumed to have been created by combining wham (a solid blow) with the whimsical -y ending. The first example of whammy in print occured in 1940, but the word was popularized in the 1950s by the cartoonist Al Capp in the comic strip Li'l Abner. The character Evil-Eye Fleegle could paralyze someone with the sheer power of his gaze. The single whammy was a look with one eye, and the fearsome double whammy used both eyes. As you may know, double whammy has also found a place in English as a general term. It means "a combination of two adverse forces, circumstances, or effects" - in other words, a one-two punch.
Examples of whammy in a Sentence
Kelsey Fogarty,
PC Magazine,
4 July 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
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
This is a real Prime Day deal double-whammy.
—
Chris McMullen,
Space.com,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for whammy
Cite this Entry
“Whammy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whammy. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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