whipsaw

1 of 2

noun

whip·saw ˈ(h)wip-ˌsȯ

: a narrow pit saw averaging 5 to 7¹/₂ feet (1.5 to 2.3 meters) in length

whipsaw

2 of 2

verb

whipsawed; whipsawing; whipsaws

transitive verb

: to saw with a whipsaw

: to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by a two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents

wage earners were whipsawed by inflation and high taxes

Did you know?

A whipsaw is a type of hand-powered saw worked by two people, one of whom stands on or above the log being sawed and the other below it, usually in a pit. The tool dates back to the 15th century, but it was not until the 19th century that anyone thought to use the saw's name figuratively to describe situations in which someone or something is doubly "cut," or hurt. Today, the word is commonly used when discussing financial crises or losses as well as ideological changes (as in government policy) that might "cut."

Examples of whipsaw in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Noun

However, economists warn that this metric whipsaws, and in this case, shifting the time span by just one month inverts the finding. —

Louis Jacobson, Austin American-Statesman, 29 Apr. 2024 After the big Covid-19 whipsaw, the most obvious forms of supply chain distress started to fade away. —

David Garfield, Harvard Business Review, 30 Sep. 2024

Verb

Bond traders were, no doubt, being whipsawed by mixed economic data last week as investors tried to figure out how much the Federal Reserve will further cut interest rates this year. —

Zev Fima, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2024 Barrera also ably keeps the picture’s many tones in check, playing the big emotional moments with just enough humor to keep us from whipsawing from one extreme to another. —

Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for whipsaw