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
He was helped by shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, who made a backhanded stop on a sharp grounder while playing in and threw out Mauricio Dubón for the second out to keep the automatic runner at third.
—
ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Howie Mandel is defusing any tension between himself and Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos after a headline-making back-and-forth over a backhanded compliment.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
That is not meant as a backhanded compliment, but an indictment of the past regime.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
In the aftermath, Doncic pushed Williams in the lower back, and Williams responded by striking Doncic with a backhanded swing.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backhanded
ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Howie Mandel is defusing any tension between himself and Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos after a headline-making back-and-forth over a backhanded compliment.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
That is not meant as a backhanded compliment, but an indictment of the past regime.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
In the aftermath, Doncic pushed Williams in the lower back, and Williams responded by striking Doncic with a backhanded swing.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backhanded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backhanded
Adjective
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The sophomore third baseman answered the call, blasting a double to the fence in left-center field to clear the bases.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
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Spain's double totality One of the most fascinating aspects of this eclipse cycle is Spain's unique position.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
10 May 2026
Adjective
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Ferro was arrested in May 2025 and found in possession of two firearms and a fake ID.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
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One tweet features an AI cover of a fake Slayr album called BURGERMAN that imagines him as a half-burger, half-human hybrid engulfed in a hellish flood of grease and cheese splatter.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Likewise, lip masks designed to be worn overnight can provide improved hydration and comfort over daytime treatments.—
Caroline Reilly,
Forbes.com,
25 Mar. 2026
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On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tatianna points to cinnamon as a conductor of heat—one commonly used in lip plumper products to achieve a sultry pout.—
Essence,
Essence,
23 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The lawsuit also alleged Cameron’s actions were hypocritical of his films’ messaging and detailed public backlash Cameron and the films faced for its depictions of Native groups.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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Seems extremely hypocritical, no?—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Sybiha said Russia’s actions exposed its calls for a separate ceasefire around May 9 as insincere.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
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As soon as Talarico’s primary victory over Jasmine Crockett was certain, conservatives called on those remarks and others to swiftly and uniformly deride his Christianity as blasphemous and insincere.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The 29-year-old, who lives in Texas, sustained a concussion and strained muscles in her ankle and neck.—
Mara H. Gottfried,
Twin Cities,
8 May 2026
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While the Chinese model reduces upfront budget pressures on fiscally-strained African states, governments across the continent will now rely heavily on a small number of firms for hardware maintenance, modernization, and training.—
Alexis Akwagyiram,
semafor.com,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Then, let the paste sit for a few minutes before scrubbing away with a clean cloth to reveal like-new furniture with no superficial scratches.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
9 May 2026
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What we’re left with is a fairly superficial skate across the surface of the history of American popular song, albeit one that’s quite well sung.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
3 May 2026
Adjective
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The second happens when the cords of logic break entirely; these patients jump from idea to idea in a meaningless way, and their speech is nonsensical—what doctors call word salad.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
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And at the same time, how meaningless a basketball game actually was in the bigger scheme of things.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backhanded. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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