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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Through backstabbing, alliances and thrilling competition, players have the chance to win $4.56 million — a fraction of the 45.6 billion won that's offered in the fictional Squid Game.
—Skyler Trepel, People.com, 30 June 2025
Josh Kroenke fired his coach and president of basketball operations in April to end years of not-so-secret intra-office backstabbing and rancor.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 23 June 2025
Media overlords collide in power summits and backstabbings.
—Alexandra Jacobs, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for backstabbing
Noun
The best crime drama streaming has it all: feuding mob families, backstabbing, feds, snitches, violence, fantastic needle drops, and multiple conversations about ziti.
—Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Through backstabbing, alliances and thrilling competition, players have the chance to win $4.56 million — a fraction of the 45.6 billion won that's offered in the fictional Squid Game.
—Skyler Trepel, People.com, 30 June 2025
Josh Kroenke fired his coach and president of basketball operations in April to end years of not-so-secret intra-office backstabbing and rancor.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 23 June 2025
Media overlords collide in power summits and backstabbings.
—Alexandra Jacobs, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for backstabbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backstabbing
Noun
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When does compromise become treachery or defeat?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
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Could Juno be behind this treachery, as payback for David destroying her spy corporation and for changing his oldest daughter into a killer?—
Demetrius Patterson,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Being chosen would mean betraying your sibling.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
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Floods, fires and failures in basic infrastructure have become the backdrop of countless lives, while our government is simultaneously betraying us.—
Melissa Jun Rowley,
Rolling Stone,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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But for students who have spent years—and significant financial sums—on their education, struggling to land one's first job may feel like a betrayal.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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So this is a temporary hiccup—Indians will be unhappy, anti-Americanism will once again grow within the country’s strategic elite, and stories of American betrayals will persist for years.—
Happymon Jacob,
Time,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backstabbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstabbing. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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