whipsawed; whipsawing; whipsaws
1
: to saw with a whipsaw
2
: to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by a two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents
wage earners were whipsawed by inflation and high taxes
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A whipsaw is a type of hand-powered saw worked by two people, one of whom stands on or above the log being sawed and the other below it, usually in a pit. The tool dates back to the 15th century, but it was not until the 19th century that anyone thought to use the saw's name figuratively to describe situations in which someone or something is doubly "cut," or hurt. Today, the word is commonly used when discussing financial crises or losses as well as ideological changes (as in government policy) that might "cut."
Examples of whipsaw in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
At the same time, the Trump administration’s whipsaw tariff policy has injected substantial uncertainty into the economy, paralyzing some businesses’ hiring plans in the process.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
During earnings season, equity desks faced similar strain, with cross-asset volatility correlations producing violent, whipsawing price action.
—Ashok Reddy, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whipsaw
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Noun
Change in Strategy The U.S. energy story, by contrast, has been one of whipsaw swings in policy with each change in party control of Congress and the White House.
—Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
At the same time, the Trump administration’s whipsaw tariff policy has injected substantial uncertainty into the economy, paralyzing some businesses’ hiring plans in the process.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
But Robertson says volumes into other markets are getting stronger, such as Asia-Pacific into Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia, and the same trade uncertainty that is whipsawing freight volumes is also creating new opportunities at the company level to plan for longer-term changes.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
During earnings season, equity desks faced similar strain, with cross-asset volatility correlations producing violent, whipsawing price action.
—Ashok Reddy, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whipsaw
Cite this Entry
“Whipsaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whipsaw. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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