as in treachery
the act or fact of violating the trust or confidence of another
a reality TV show that seems to have raised backstabbing to an art form
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in betraying
to be unfaithful or disloyal to
knew what it felt like to be backstabbed by a so-called friend
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of backstabbing
Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Most important: Harper lost her job at Pierpoint thanks to some spectacular backstabbing from Eric, who snitched on her to HR for having forged her transcript.
—Nina Li Coomes, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2024
The three actors all play Catholic Cardinals in Conclave, a gripping new drama about the backstabbing and posturing that unfolds behind the scenes in Vatican City as the men of the cloth assemble to elect a new pope from among their ranks when the Supreme Pontiff dies.
—Eric Andersson, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
But some of these godly men harbor secrets and ambitions that lead to backstabbing and scandal.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for backstabbing
Noun
Drinking and backstabbing are often seen as the key factors in Vanderpump Rules’ popularity and lengthy time on the air.
—Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Most important: Harper lost her job at Pierpoint thanks to some spectacular backstabbing from Eric, who snitched on her to HR for having forged her transcript.
—Nina Li Coomes, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2024
The three actors all play Catholic Cardinals in Conclave, a gripping new drama about the backstabbing and posturing that unfolds behind the scenes in Vatican City as the men of the cloth assemble to elect a new pope from among their ranks when the Supreme Pontiff dies.
—Eric Andersson, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
But some of these godly men harbor secrets and ambitions that lead to backstabbing and scandal.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for backstabbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backstabbing
Noun
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Witness was his 1952 manifesto on fellow-traveling American liberals and their treachery, which emboldened the Soviet Union.—
Michael Kimmage,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
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The songs typically crop up in the final act of an episode as the tensions (and treacheries) mount.—
Mark Peikert,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
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America’s shoppers are not betraying signs of an economic slowdown.—
Melvin Backman,
Quartz,
18 Dec. 2024
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Who is the person that loves their husband, and yet is betraying them all the time?—
Carita Rizzo,
Deadline,
15 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The betrayal of Ukraine by President Donald Trump was hardly unexpected, but its execution—brazen, humiliating, and incredibly public—has left Europeans in shock.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
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If you’ve been hurt before—through rejection, betrayal or emotional invalidation—exposing your emotions again can seem unbearable.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backstabbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstabbing. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
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