double take
noun
dou·ble take
ˈdə-bəl-ˌtāk 
: a delayed reaction to a surprising or significant situation after an initial failure to notice anything unusual
—usually used in the phrase do a double take
Examples of double take in a Sentence
His parents did a double take when he came home with a tattoo.
Recent Examples on the Web
Update the traditional pattern by choosing a palette that features bright neons, deep and moody colors, or even graphic black and whites to make all who enter your home do a double take.
—
Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2025
Several people did a double take, a few pointed, and two held up phones to record videos.
—Nnedi Okorafor, WIRED, 14 Jan. 2025
On Saturday, December 28, the 23-year-old daughter of music legends Tim McGraw and Faith Hill shared a late-night piano session on Instagram that had fans doing a double take.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
When Carter, who died Sunday at age 100, first showed up alongside other Habitat volunteers at a decrepit tenement on New York’s Lower East Side in 1984, the cultural zeitgeist did a double take.
—Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for double take
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Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2025
Several people did a double take, a few pointed, and two held up phones to record videos.
—Nnedi Okorafor, WIRED, 14 Jan. 2025
On Saturday, December 28, the 23-year-old daughter of music legends Tim McGraw and Faith Hill shared a late-night piano session on Instagram that had fans doing a double take.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
When Carter, who died Sunday at age 100, first showed up alongside other Habitat volunteers at a decrepit tenement on New York’s Lower East Side in 1984, the cultural zeitgeist did a double take.
—Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for double take
Articles Related to double take
Cite this Entry
“Double take.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double%20take. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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double take
noun
dou·ble take
ˈdəb-əl-ˌtāk
: a delayed reaction to a surprising or unusual situation after first failing to notice anything unusual
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