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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of backhanded
Tavares made a backhanded scoop, lifting the puck toward the front of the net.
—
Julian McKenzie, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
That’s probably more of a backhanded compliment than Chaney deserves.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 Jan. 2025
But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of ‘80s Hair Metal
Petrucci recalls the backhanded compliments of her male peers
Roxy Petrucci knew her talents on the drums were unlike any other — male or female.
—Angela Andaloro, People.com, 8 Oct. 2024
Memes documenting the backhanded—if well-intentioned—line popped up instantaneously.
—Lindy Segal, Glamour, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for backhanded
Julian McKenzie, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
That’s probably more of a backhanded compliment than Chaney deserves.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 Jan. 2025
But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of ‘80s Hair Metal
Petrucci recalls the backhanded compliments of her male peers
Roxy Petrucci knew her talents on the drums were unlike any other — male or female.
—Angela Andaloro, People.com, 8 Oct. 2024
Memes documenting the backhanded—if well-intentioned—line popped up instantaneously.
—Lindy Segal, Glamour, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for backhanded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backhanded
Adjective
-
By that same time next year, Munn had a nipple delay procedure, lymph node dissection, a double mastectomy, and reconstructive surgery.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
10 Apr. 2025
-
By the time Survivor’s post-merge double elimination episode was complete, only one original Vula member stood to live another day.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
These platforms sell complete phishing kits—web hosting, SMS delivery systems, fake landing pages, encryption tools—to other cybercriminals who want to run scams at scale.—
Alex Vakulov,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
-
Nancy Marks, Santos’ former campaign treasurer, admitted to filing bogus campaign finance reports filled with fake donors and a fake $500,000 personal loan from Santos.—
Philip Marcelo,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
By After Testing Over 30 Best Sellers By Siena Gagliano Unlike balms, which can make lip color slide around, a primer locks it in while keeping lips soft and comfortable.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
2 Mar. 2025
-
For lip color, reach for the Merit Beauty Signature lipsticks.—
Loren Savini,
Allure,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
After Wednesday’s speech, some critics went online to accuse the governor of being hypocritical for making that charge against Trump in light of his pandemic actions.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2025
-
Phil Lyman, a former state representative and Trump supporter who challenged Mr. Cox for governor last year, said politicians like Mr. Cox were hypocritical.—
Kellen Browning,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Trump must be laughing about Newsom’s obviously insincere flattery and being able to make the governor jump through his hoops.—
Dan Walters,
The Mercury News,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Even insincere inquiries are generally appreciated.—
Aditi Shrikant,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
But the discussion around Golden this season has been muted, strained and careful all the way to the end, Monday’s dramatic 65-63 comeback win against Houston to seize the title.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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Throughout the series, the strained relationship between father and son highlights the repercussions of family communication breakdowns.—
Laurel Donnellan,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Due to its mild alkaline (acid-reducing) effect and abrasive texture, baking soda can help remove superficial stains and reduce bacteria in the mouth.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Health,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Her framework moves beyond superficial advice, addressing the root causes of insecurity while offering practical tools for lasting change.—
Angela Lei,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backhanded. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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