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
Thus, leading to a double bind for Black women athletes such as Reese.
—
Lindsey Darvin, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
In this climate, managers are in a double bind, between efficiency mandates and employee expectations.
—Anjali Chaudhry, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
The concept evidently places defense lawyers in a double bind.
—Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
The double bind highlights the hypocrisy women face at work.
—Dr. Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for double bind
Lindsey Darvin, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
In this climate, managers are in a double bind, between efficiency mandates and employee expectations.
—Anjali Chaudhry, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
The concept evidently places defense lawyers in a double bind.
—Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
The double bind highlights the hypocrisy women face at work.
—Dr. Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for double bind
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double bind
Noun
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The dilemma about his son provides the bare minimum of drama to chew on, allowing Dexter’s focus to shift toward playful topics like his new cold-blooded buddies and the peculiar nature of his new playground, New York City.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
10 July 2025
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This case involving the MyPillow lawyers is just a microcosm of the growing dilemma of how courts and lawyers can strike the balance between welcoming life-changing technology and using it responsibly in court.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
10 July 2025
Noun
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Use cloud access or a small on-premises system to tackle a high-value optimization or simulation problem where classical methods struggle.—
Yuval Boger,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
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In the following years, the early flood warning system that Eastland advocated for – and was once considered state-of-the-art – started to suffer problems.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Double bind.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double%20bind. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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