as in dilemma
a situation in which one has to choose between two or more equally unsatisfactory choices
the double bind faced by every politician: responding to scurrilous charges only gives them unwarranted publicity; not responding to such charges is often interpreted as an admission of guilt
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Recent Examples of double bind
This creates a double bind: Officials have an obligation to warn people at risk, yet frequent warnings can desensitize recipients.
—
Hamilton Bean, The Conversation, 11 July 2025
This double bind represents one of the most obvious barriers in contemporary workplace cultures overall, where the mere act of being perceived as vulnerable can come at a professional cost, one that only worsens over entire careers.
—Sughnen Yongo, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
The double bind of healthcare and legal danger made my life in this country suffocating.
—Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Homebuyers now face a double bind: inflated prices and higher monthly payments.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for double bind
Hamilton Bean, The Conversation, 11 July 2025
This double bind represents one of the most obvious barriers in contemporary workplace cultures overall, where the mere act of being perceived as vulnerable can come at a professional cost, one that only worsens over entire careers.
—Sughnen Yongo, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
The double bind of healthcare and legal danger made my life in this country suffocating.
—Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Homebuyers now face a double bind: inflated prices and higher monthly payments.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for double bind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double bind
Noun
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The company applies a sociological attention to the gestures and dilemmas of people’s daily routines; once harvested, these insights are quickly incorporated into product designs.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
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Drone dilemma The US excels at building large, expensive weaponry, but most American soldiers lack the know-how for fighting with unmanned systems.—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Instead of predictive policing that reinforces existing biases, envision AI that helps communities understand and address root causes of social problems.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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But even the right approach to the right problem risks failure if not properly executed.—
Joel Thayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Double bind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20bind. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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