double take
noun
dou·ble take
ˈdə-bəl-ˌtāk 
: a delayed reaction to a surprising or significant situation after an initial failure to notice anything unusual
—usually used in the phrase do a double take
Examples of double take in a Sentence
His parents did a double take when he came home with a tattoo.
Recent Examples on the Web
On Saturday, December 28, the 23-year-old daughter of music legends Tim McGraw and Faith Hill shared a late-night piano session on Instagram that had fans doing a double take.
—
Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
When Carter, who died Sunday at age 100, first showed up alongside other Habitat volunteers at a decrepit tenement on New York’s Lower East Side in 1984, the cultural zeitgeist did a double take.
—Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 30 Dec. 2024
In a recent TikTok shared to her official account, the renowned chef and restauranteur, 54, showed friends and fans alike a childhood favorite dish that’s making many do a double take.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
For instance, scientists who first spotted Hallucigenia probably did a double take.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for double take 
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Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
When Carter, who died Sunday at age 100, first showed up alongside other Habitat volunteers at a decrepit tenement on New York’s Lower East Side in 1984, the cultural zeitgeist did a double take.
—Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 30 Dec. 2024
In a recent TikTok shared to her official account, the renowned chef and restauranteur, 54, showed friends and fans alike a childhood favorite dish that’s making many do a double take.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
For instance, scientists who first spotted Hallucigenia probably did a double take.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for double take
Articles Related to double take
Dictionary Entries Near double take
Cite this Entry
“Double take.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double%20take. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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double take
noun
dou·ble take
ˈdəb-əl-ˌtāk
: a delayed reaction to a surprising or unusual situation after first failing to notice anything unusual
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