backstabbing

noun

back·​stab·​bing ˈbak-ˌsta-biŋ How to pronounce backstabbing (audio)
Synonyms of backstabbingnext
: betrayal (as by a verbal attack against one not present) especially by a false friend
backstab
ˈbak-ˌstab How to pronounce backstabbing (audio)
verb
She was known to backstab her coworkers
backstabber
ˈbak-ˌsta-bər How to pronounce backstabbing (audio)
noun
He had a reputation as a gossiper and backstabber.
backstabby
ˈbak-ˌsta-bē How to pronounce backstabbing (audio)
adjective informal
competitive backstabby people

Synonyms

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Examples of backstabbing in a Sentence

She was hurt by her former friend's backstabbing. a reality TV show that seems to have raised backstabbing to an art form
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Who won season 3 of The Traitors? After weeks of backstabbing, lies and deceit, four Faithfuls (the most in the show's history!) came out on top in the end of season 3: Windey, Efron, Catania and Mountbatten. — Jordana Comiter, People.com, 7 Mar. 2025 People were polite on the surface, but beneath that facade there was a pervasive undercurrent of gossip, backstabbing and insincerity. — Margaret Graziano, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025 In managing Trump to victory, Wiles showed real skill in tamping down egos, minimizing leaking, and limiting the backstabbing. — Tevi Troy, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Feb. 2025 And fundamentally, palace coups were about personal relations in the corridors of power: naked ambitions and the backstabbing of rivals. — Sergey Radchenko, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 2022 See All Example Sentences for backstabbing

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of backstabbing was in 1855

Rhymes for backstabbing

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Browse Nearby Words

backstabbing
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Cite this Entry

“Backstabbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backstabbing. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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