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
To Trump’s backhanded credit, that’s putting it mildly on all counts.
—
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 31 May 2025
There was nearly a fourth as well, though rookie Kristian Campbell was able to make an impressive backhanded grab in shallow right with his back to the infield in the bottom of the fourth.
—Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 1 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
Critics say work requirements are a backhanded way to slim down the Medicaid rolls, since the paperwork requirements of such programs have proved so onerous that eligible people drop out, causing the uninsured rate to rise.
—Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for backhanded
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 31 May 2025
There was nearly a fourth as well, though rookie Kristian Campbell was able to make an impressive backhanded grab in shallow right with his back to the infield in the bottom of the fourth.
—Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 1 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
Critics say work requirements are a backhanded way to slim down the Medicaid rolls, since the paperwork requirements of such programs have proved so onerous that eligible people drop out, causing the uninsured rate to rise.
—Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for backhanded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backhanded
Adjective
-
Chicago tacked on another run against reliever Tim Hill in the seventh when Seiya Suzuki smacked a two-out double, then scored from second base on an infield single by Pete Crow-Armstrong.—
Peter Sblendorio,
Hartford Courant,
13 July 2025
-
Gavin Sheets greeted him with a double to right field.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
There’s a massive global scam operation that uses real payment methods on fake checkout pages.—
Kim Komando The Kim Komando Show,
FOXNews.com,
12 July 2025
-
Additional increases in the quantity and quality of weapons sent to Ukraine would underpin that message and would have a better chance than anything else of persuading Putin to replace fake negotiations with the real thing.—
The Editors,
National Review,
11 July 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
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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
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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
Adjective
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Douglass’s decision to speak on July 5, deliberately after Independence Day celebrations, symbolically underscored his argument: America’s celebration of freedom was bitterly ironic and deeply hypocritical in the context of slavery and racial oppression.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
4 July 2025
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Seems hypocritical compared with other legal vices allowed in the Land of Lincoln.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
The movie does not earn the right for such an insincere have-your-I-Heart-the-’90s-cake-and-eat-it-too gesture.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
16 July 2025
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King’s typical approach to the genre — gifted protagonists facing off against chilly government entities or insincere spiritual forces within a horror context — has fallen out of vogue in favor of comparable superhero origin stories with elevated skills and stakes.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
But not Hochman, whose strained diplomacy has raised eyebrows.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 July 2025
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The story of Mbappe’s move to the Bernabeu last summer and his strained relations with PSG could fill several tomes, given the intensity of Madrid’s almost decade-long pursuit of the forward — and the fallout continues to this day.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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These outcomes reflect the program’s focus on authentic skill development rather than superficial exposure.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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But the dustup over the building renovation is just a superficial sign of the underlying tension between the administration and the central bank.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backhanded. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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