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
Gagnon forced another ground ball and a fielder’s choice for the second out, and Faber made a backhanded stab at short and fired across the diamond to beat the runner and escape the inning.
—
Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2025
Barkov showed off his skill in the clinching game against the Hurricanes, fending off defenseman Dmitry Orlov against the boards before feeding Carter Verhaeghe a perfect, backhanded pass to set up what would prove to be the conference-winning goal.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 31 May 2025
To Trump’s backhanded credit, that’s putting it mildly on all counts.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 31 May 2025
After his wife, Hailey Bieber, appeared looking happy, healthy, and gorgeous on the cover of the June 2025 issue of Vogue, Justin Bieber took to Instagram to congratulate the model on the achievement in a sort of a backhanded way.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for backhanded
Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2025
Barkov showed off his skill in the clinching game against the Hurricanes, fending off defenseman Dmitry Orlov against the boards before feeding Carter Verhaeghe a perfect, backhanded pass to set up what would prove to be the conference-winning goal.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 31 May 2025
To Trump’s backhanded credit, that’s putting it mildly on all counts.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 31 May 2025
After his wife, Hailey Bieber, appeared looking happy, healthy, and gorgeous on the cover of the June 2025 issue of Vogue, Justin Bieber took to Instagram to congratulate the model on the achievement in a sort of a backhanded way.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for backhanded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backhanded
Adjective
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When Harrison loaded the bases and gave up an RBI single and two-run double, Cora could wait no longer.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
-
The motor court, which appears to float above the entrance to the subterranean garage, leads to the double-height foyer with ebony polished concrete floors and a floating staircase set against a wall of glass.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Sandu’s reelection came amidst an election that was laced with allegations of Russian interference and was marred by fake bomb threats.—
Rajeev Tyagi,
ABC News,
29 Sep. 2025
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Jessica Guistolise, Megan Hurley and Molly Kelley talk with CNBC in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 11, 2025, about fake pornographic images and videos depicting their faces made by their mutual friend Ben using AI site DeepSwap.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The pop of color offers a shimmer-free (rare!) means of warming up a wedding look and works equally well at lip level.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
12 Aug. 2025
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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
Adjective
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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
-
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
Adjective
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Most of these hypocritical legislators are near the completion of their involvement in the Capitol thanks to term limits.—
John Moorlach,
Oc Register,
22 Sep. 2025
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Each has talked up and acted upon the notion that universities’ illiberal and often hypocritical approaches to issues concerning free speech and antisemitism need to change.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But Oz’s move back to Pennsylvania not long before running for Senate came across as insincere.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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For one, Vitale writes that the sort of direct-to-camera monologues that have become the toast of Bourdainposting were, in Bourdain’s eyes, corny and insincere.—
Tres Dean,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Their secret romance unfolds amid strained family ties, police harassment, and the performers’ personal struggles, culminating in Hemanta’s disappearance and Sukumar’s crisis of memory, love and survival.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
21 Sep. 2025
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The film follows Trier’s frequent collaborator Renate Reinsve as Nora who, along with her sister Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), are faced to confront their strained relationship with their father, a fading director named Gustav Borg (Stellan Skarsgard).—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Although childish and superficial, his renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War doesn’t telegraph a love of peace.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
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The Japanese capital is a global leader in wellness innovation, where spas prioritize holistic health over superficial beauty, utilizing cutting-edge, non-invasive therapies.—
Terry Elward,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backhanded. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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