double-edged sword

[ duhb-uhl-ejd sawrd ]

noun

1. a sword whose blade has two cutting edges:

   This game character wields a wide double-edged sword to slice an enemy in two, armor and all, with brute strength.

2. something whose desirable effects are necessarily accompanied by undesirable ones:

   Studying from home is a double-edged sword—you can roll out of bed at 10 a.m. and attend class in your pajamas, but you can skip class with equal ease.

Word History and Origins

Origin of double-edged sword¹

First recorded in 1580–90

Example Sentences

“It’s almost like the digital tools are a double-edged sword, in the sense that they enable a much more widespread beginning, but they don’t create the incentives for the same kind of infrastructure-building that you need to make it last over time,” Han said.

From Slate

Stress is a double-edged sword when it comes to memory: stressful or otherwise emotional events are usually more memorable, but stress can also make it harder for us to retrieve memories.

From Science Daily

The double-edged sword of achieving powerful social status as a marginalized person in American society is the assimilation necessary to accomplish it.

From Slate

“But it’s a double-edged sword,” said Meadows, 27, who has lived in South Park since 2019 and sells real estate.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s a double-edged sword. It’s good to have someone who is willing to bring the cases … but that person needs to be able to win the cases,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times