A double-edged sword

How it is used

Used when the same feature brings both benefits and drawbacks. Explain both sides rather than using the image as a vague warning.

Example sentences

1. Rapid growth is a double-edged sword: more orders increase revenue but also stretch our support team.

   The same increase creates a financial benefit and a staffing burden.

2. Constant availability can be a double-edged sword for managers who struggle to switch off after work.

   Being reachable supports work but can intrude on personal time.

Common collocations

• become a double-edged sword
• prove a double-edged sword

Related terms

• trade-offA situation in which you accept less of one thing in order to get more of another, such as a lower price for a longer contract.
• workloadThe amount of work that a person or a team has to do in a given period of time.

More terms: Office Idioms and Phrases

• touch base
• heads-up
• on the same page
• keep me posted
• ballpark figure
• bandwidth
• circle back
• low-hanging fruit
• get the ball rolling
• back to the drawing board
• drop the ball
• on my radar