double bind

noun

: a psychological predicament in which a person receives from a single source conflicting messages that allow no appropriate response to be made

broadly : dilemma sense 1

Examples of double bind in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

That’s a double bind in a region where households are both less financially able to weather severe climate events but — in many cases — more likely to experience them. —

Jasmine Cui, NBC News, 17 Sep. 2024 And then: • A Jewish magazine’s double bind • Can Kamala Harris win? —

Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2024 For the pop stars of ten or twenty years ago, girlhood and femininity presented a double bind. —

Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 21 July 2024 These emotional stereotypes present a double bind for parents hoping to help their children develop emotional intelligence and autonomy. —

Pragya Agarwal, Scientific American, 24 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for double bind