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
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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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Recent Examples of backstabbing
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2025
Expect enough backstabbing, saucy secrets, and nonsensical cameos to more than make up for the loss of And Just Like That.
—Lucy Ford, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
In high-pressure workplaces already dealing with micromanagement, backstabbing, and the friction of return-to-office mandates, a narcissist can amplify tension, erode trust, and make collaboration an uphill battle.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2025
The Traitors fans, now’s your chance to do a little backstabbing of your own.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backstabbing
Noun
Even under the ghastliest of circumstances, the characters don’t turn on one another in a frenzy of bickering and backstabbing, as movie characters are often programmed to do.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2025
Expect enough backstabbing, saucy secrets, and nonsensical cameos to more than make up for the loss of And Just Like That.
—Lucy Ford, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
In high-pressure workplaces already dealing with micromanagement, backstabbing, and the friction of return-to-office mandates, a narcissist can amplify tension, erode trust, and make collaboration an uphill battle.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2025
The Traitors fans, now’s your chance to do a little backstabbing of your own.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backstabbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backstabbing
Noun
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With season 4 rapidly approaching, now's the time to prepare for the treachery to come.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Dec. 2025
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Instead of being killed, Ashur takes Spartacus’ life and is consequently rewarded for his treachery by the Roman Empire.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Through heightened control of imagery and mood, attention to composition and texture and sound, Manuel turns this simple, languid setting into something far more sinister without ever betraying the beauty of what’s onscreen.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
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At the same time, he was criticized by prominent political prisoners and other Iranian activists and citizens for betraying his country by supporting the Israeli strikes and failing to condemn them.—
Eric Lob,
The Conversation,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Truist details allegations against former bank executives Truist’s complaint paints a picture of betrayal and covert meetings preceding the exodus.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Jan. 2026
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Tears are shed, betrayal is discussed, and awful makeovers are brought back to light.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backstabbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstabbing. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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