Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

double whammy

/ˌdʌb(ə)l ˈ(h)wæmi/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.77 in modern English

Syllables
doub-le wham-my
IPA
/ˌdʌb(ə)l ˈ(h)wæmi/
28
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
3
Syllables
11
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A series of two events that causes adverse effects; a twofold blow or setback.

Informal

noun

A series of two events that causes positive effects; a twofold boon.

Informal

Example Sentences

Etymology

From double + whammy (“evil spell; curse or hex”), popularized by the American cartoonist Al Capp (1909–1979), in his classic comic strip Li’l Abner (1934–1977).

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌdʌb(ə)l ˈ(h)wæmi/
  • British English: /ˌdʌbl̩ ˈ(h)wæmi/

Usage

Inflected Forms

double whammies (plural) double-whammy (alternative)

Phrases

triple whammy double-trouble

Frequently Paired Words

triple whammy double-trouble

Rhymes With

miami grammy sammy tammy sami whammy triple whammy mammy hammy damme chamois clammy

Questions

How do you pronounce double whammy?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌdʌb(ə)l ˈ(h)wæmi/.
What does double whammy mean?
A series of two events that causes adverse effects; a twofold blow or setback.
Where does double whammy come from?
From double + whammy (“evil spell; curse or hex”), popularized by the American cartoonist Al Capp (1909–1979), in his classic comic strip Li’l Abner (1934–1977).

How to pronounce double whammy

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “double whammy”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌdʌb(ə)l ˈ(h)wæmi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “double whammy”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “double whammy” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.