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Definition of whammy

whammy

/ˈwæm.i/
wham · my
Plural:whammies
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whammy Lexical Profile

whammy Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An event or circumstance with a powerful, usually unfavorable or disastrous effect; a severe setback or blow (frequently used in the phrase 'double whammy').

Example

"The small business suffered a double whammy when rising rent costs coincided with a sudden drop in tourism."

2

An evil spell, hex, or jinx believed to bring bad luck or subject someone to control.

Example

"The superstitious pitcher was convinced that the opposing fans had put a whammy on him during the ninth inning."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for whammy

• Nearby Words

whaler
whaling
wham
whammy
whangaehu
whanganui
whangarei

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in early 20th-century American slang from the imitative interjection 'wham' (representing a heavy blow) plus the suffix '-y', and popularized in the 1940s and 1950s by cartoonist Al Capp in his comic strip 'Li'l Abner'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Whammy. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/whammy
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