Phrase guide

double life

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˈdʌb(ə)l ˌlaɪf/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An existence or life that has two aspects, particularly when one of them is regarded as embarrassing, immoral, or unlawful and thus kept hidden from some people.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He lived a double life as both a British diplomat and a Soviet spy.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The hidden, or more unusual, aspect of a person's life.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Counterintelligence agents discovered the British diplomat's double life as a Soviet spy.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: dobbeltliv — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Dutch: dubbelleven — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Estonian: topeltelu — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Finnish: kaksoiselämä — existence or life that has two aspects
  • French: double vie — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Georgian: ორმაგი ცხოვრება (ormagi cxovreba) — existence or life that has two aspects
  • German: Doppelleben — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Hungarian: kettős élet — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Italian: doppia vita — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Northern Kurdish: cotejiyan — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Northern Kurdish: dujiyanîtî — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Norwegian Bokmål: dobbeltliv — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: dobbeltliv — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Polish: podwójne życie — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Portuguese: vida dupla — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Spanish: doble vida — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Swedish: dubbelliv — existence or life that has two aspects
  • Polish: podwójne życie — hidden, or more unusual, aspect of a person's life