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backstabbing

backstabbing

11 5.4
A secret act of betrayal by someone who seems friendly
  • noun
  • /ˈbækˌstæbɪŋ/
  • Informal
translation icon : puñalada por la espalda
  • The workplace was filled with backstabbing, making it difficult to trust anyone.
  • backstabbing and petty intrigues
  • backstabbing and treachery
  • backstabbing, cheating

Toxic bosses foster backstabbing and triangulated work cultures.

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Examples

  • It's all industry talk and name-dropping and catty backstabbing.

  • They are more like high school with all the cliques, gossip, backstabbing, and favoritism.

    Blog text (15)
  • It's called backstabbing, which these people live to do.

    Blog text (4)
  • I wish we could get out and leave all this backstabbing and crookedness behind us.

  • Any politician trying this stunt would make himself an easy target for such backstabbing.

    Blog text (23)
  • All the backstabbing Jackie did to Laura and the other girls trying to divide the girls against Jackie.

    Blog text (21)
  • "People come to small towns to practice law to get away from some of the animosity or backstabbing," said Bolt.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The unprofessionalism, drama, backstabbing, and bad business practices that surrounded this band and its 'leader' became too much for me to handle.

    Blog text (1)
  • I can't take the fighting, the backstabbing, the open hostility.

  • And then all hell broke loose: rampant evil, grabbing and grasping, vicious backstabbing.

    Blog text (27)

Synonyms

betrayal
vsbackstabbing
197 3.9

An act of not being loyal to someone, for example telling their secrets or helping an enemy

focuses on secret unfair action done while pretending friendliness rather than general disloyalty
treachery
vsbackstabbing
46 7.5

To betray someone's trust or loyalty

adds the idea of secret friendly deceit rather than broad acts of betrayal
trickery
vsbackstabbing
27 4.9

To use dishonest ways to cheat people

is personal secret betrayal with friendly pretense rather than general trick use
dirty tricks
vsbackstabbing
12 6.0

Secret dishonest actions that harm or make someone look bad, often in politics and business

is personal secret betrayal while posing friendly rather than tactical smear tactics
dirty trick
vsbackstabbing
11 4.9

An unfair action meant to harm or cheat someone

is ongoing secret friendly betrayal rather than single unfair actions
conniving
vsbackstabbing
8 8.0

Someone who secretly plans to do something dishonest or harmful

is about betraying a person by friendly pretense rather than just plotting deceit
double cross
vsbackstabbing
  • Informal
5 6.6

To betray someone after pretending to help them

is about secret unfair betrayal while acting friendly rather than public treason
double-crossing
vsbackstabbing
5 7.4

An act of betraying someone who trusted you after pretending to help them

focuses on secret unfair betrayal while posing as a friend rather than mere betrayal
subversion
vsbackstabbing
4 8.0

To try to make someone less honest or loyal

is the same secret harm but stresses personal friendly pretense rather than general undermining
perfidy
vsbackstabbing
  • Formal
4 9.9

A dishonest act that breaks someone's trust

is narrower in stressing secret friendly pretense rather than general treachery
double-dealing
vsbackstabbing
1 7.5

Behaving dishonestly by pretending one thing and doing another

involves secret betrayal with friendly pretense rather than general two-faced conduct
scheming
vsbackstabbing
1 6.2

Having secret plans to get what you want in a dishonest way

involves personal betrayal under friendly cover rather than general private plotting
traitorism
vsbackstabbing
9.9

The act of betraying your country or people by helping their enemies

is the specific secret unfair betrayal done while pretending friendliness
traitorousness
vsbackstabbing
8.8

Being disloyal to your country, friends, or cause

is focused on private unfriendly betrayal while pretending to be friendly

Antonyms

503 1.3

Strong and lasting support for a person, group, or idea

365 1.0

Being truthful and fair in what you say and do

How Treacherous

treachery
46 7.5
backstabbing
  • Informal
11 5.4
betrayal
197 3.9
disloyalty
13 4.1

Surface Forms

backstabbing singular
backstabings plural
backstabbings plural

Morphology

backstabbing = backstab (transparent) = back + stab + ing

The noun is a gerund/nominalization of 'backstab' formed with '-ing', so the core meaning 'the act of betraying someone behind their back' is directly predictable.

Etymology

Backstabbing comes from the picture of being stabbed in the back: back 'behind' and stab 'to push a knife into'. So as a noun, backstabbing is an 'act of secret betrayal' by someone who pretends to be your friend.