as in double
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express
"I'm amazed you did so well" is a bit of a backhanded compliment
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Recent Examples of backhanded
Holland explained how fellow Spider-Man star and girlfriend Zendaya was useful in a sort of backhanded way.
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Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 16 Oct. 2024
That’s not a backhanded compliment but an argument in favor of streamers taking risks on untested talent (hopefully even those without a famous parent).
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2024
Will, the outrageously arrogant master of the backhanded compliment, brings out the jealous streak in his brother, who’s taken aback by Will’s unscheduled return from Los Angeles under secretive circumstances.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2024
At first glance, the passthrough prohibition resembles a backhanded attempt at price controls, which are distasteful for a variety of reasons.
—Robert Goulder, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for backhanded 
Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 16 Oct. 2024
That’s not a backhanded compliment but an argument in favor of streamers taking risks on untested talent (hopefully even those without a famous parent).
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2024
Will, the outrageously arrogant master of the backhanded compliment, brings out the jealous streak in his brother, who’s taken aback by Will’s unscheduled return from Los Angeles under secretive circumstances.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2024
At first glance, the passthrough prohibition resembles a backhanded attempt at price controls, which are distasteful for a variety of reasons.
—Robert Goulder, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for backhanded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backhanded
Adjective
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Carlsen is thirty-four years old, almost double Dommaraju’s age and the age of the World Rapid Championship winner, Volodar Murzin, who, like Dommaraju, is eighteen.Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025
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The tiny house is accessed via double glass doors or an adjacent single glass door.Adam Williams, New Atlas, 3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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While fake kidnapping calls aimed at exploiting worried parents are a familiar tactic for some criminals, advancements in technology are making these scams far more convincing and harder to detect.Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2025
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Fraudsters have devised sophisticated registration bots to mimic real users, coded to flood companies’ systems with fake OTPs.Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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While lip reading is commonly used as a way for those with hearing disabilities to understand speech and conversations, it’s also called upon for legal matters and police investigations.Emily Holgate, refinery29.com, 19 Jan. 2024
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Also, lip skin is thinner, making blood vessels more apparent.Scott LaFee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2024
Adjective
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The woman is long gone, so Freer has to imagine her consent — in a history so full of gaps, coercion, and disappearance, a pretended connection is better than none at all.Helen Shaw, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2022
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What most activates Dunn’s rage is the misogyny that only deepened amid all the pretended freedoms of the counterculture.Sam Sacks, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2022
Adjective
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Being judgmental was also evaluated very negatively, as it was often perceived as being self-righteous or hypocritical.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 30 Dec. 2024
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His son's post was not received well by all, with some viewing it as aggressive toward other nations and hypocritical when Republicans have been vocal against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Personalization is key to effective cold emailing, but doing it wrong can make your emails feel insincere or even drive people away.Samuel Darwin, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
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Carolyn Hax: Do superlative compliments start to feel insincere?Washington Post, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024
Adjective
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By William Baldwin, Senior Contributor State budgets are strained and tax hikes might make voters angry or businesses inclined to leave.William Baldwin, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
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The return of former chief scout Sven Mislintat — with whom Kehl has a strained relationship — as technical director, further complicated his role.Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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There are beautiful things about being an actor, but there are also some kind of superficial ones.Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024
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Consumers today are savvier than ever and can discern between genuine authority and superficial claims.Lara Devgan, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Backhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backhanded. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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