double bind

noun

1. Psychology. a situation in which a person is given conflicting cues, especially by a parent, such that to obey one cue is to disobey the other.
2. dilemma ( def 1 ).

double bind

noun

1. a situation of conflict from which there is no escape; unresolvable dilemma

Word History and Origins

Origin of double bind¹

An Americanism dating back to 1955–60

Example Sentences

Harris, like other Black women, experiences the double bind of having to navigate racism and sexism.

From Salon

This government determining standards that contradict what children learn at home places them in a double bind.

From Seattle Times

In Sondheim’s lyrics, the double bind of attachment is often a source of agitation; in Ebb’s it is often a pummeling.

From New York Times

Even more so than writers, actors face a double bind when it comes to labor disputes.

From Los Angeles Times

"So there's that double bind - a lack of people now and the potential lack of finances to pay for them in the future."

From BBC

Related Words

• difficulty
• embarrassment
• impasse
• mess
• plight
• predicament
• problem
• puzzle
• quandary