deal a blow

idiom

formal
: to hit (someone or something) so as to cause harm
He dealt his enemy a mighty blow.
usually used figuratively
The factory closing will deal a serious/severe/devastating/crushing blow to the town's economy.
Her career as an ice skater was dealt a fatal blow when she broke her leg.

Examples of deal a blow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The editors overwhelmingly support that label but continue to debate the decision, which could ultimately deal a blow to the credibility of the leading source of research and information on antisemitism. David Goldman, CNN, 20 June 2024 The harvesting closures may deal a blow to Pacific Northwest fisheries. TIME, 11 June 2024 Impact on local fisheries The harvesting closures may deal a blow to Pacific Northwest fisheries. CBS News, 10 June 2024 This would deal a blow to China’s aspirations for a new global order with Chinese (or Chinese-Russian) characteristics. Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 26 Apr. 2023 The real estate data company CoStar Group will move its headquarters from downtown D.C. to Arlington, its executives said Tuesday, marking another corporate relocation that could deal a blow to the District’s struggling central business area while boosting its Northern Virginia suburbs. Teo Armus, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024 If some labels get downgraded later this year, though, that could deal a blow to the market, which is already reeling from an 8 percent drop in exports last year. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024 The capture of Avdiivka would be a strategic success for Russia — the city is a linchpin of Ukrainian defenses in the region — and would deal a blow to Ukrainians’ morale. Constant Méheut, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2023 His removal could deal a blow to President Xi Jinping, who last year elevated the 57-year-old over more seasoned ministry peers, as part of sweeping personnel reforms designed to install a team of loyalists. Time, 26 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deal a blow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Deal a blow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deal%20a%20blow. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

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