ə ˈdʌbəl edʒd sɔːrd
General
neutral
advanced
- Literally:
- A sword with blades on both sides
What does "a double-edged sword" mean?
Something that has both positive and negative consequences
Examples
- Social media is a double-edged sword: it connects people but also spreads misinformation.
- His bluntness was a double-edged sword — admired by some but offensive to others.
- Artificial intelligence is proving to be a double-edged sword for the creative industries.
Origin
References to double-edged swords appear in the Bible and ancient literature.
How to use it
Very widely used in essays, journalism, and formal discussion.
Similar expressions
mixed blessing
two-sided coin
catch-22
Opposites
pure advantage
unmitigated good
Related idioms
- actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say
- better safe than sorry
It's better to be careful and prevent problems than to take risks
- so far so good
Things have gone well up to now
- easier said than done
Something is more difficult to do than to talk about
- make a long story short
To summarize or get to the point
- to make matters worse
In addition to existing problems
Use it in a practice answer
Try "a double-edged sword" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.