phraseC2
a backhanded compliment
/ə ˌbækˈhændɪd ˈkɑmpləmənt/You use this phrase when praise sounds kind but also carries a hidden insult.
The praise may be genuine, but it also suggests something negative about the person or what they have done. It can be intentional or unintentional; a left-handed compliment is another common name for it.
EXAMPLES
- Calling my presentation “surprisingly clear” felt like a backhanded compliment.
- She said my outfit was “bold,” and I took it as a backhanded compliment.
- When he said I was “good with people for an engineer,” it sounded like a backhanded compliment.
SYNONYMS
a left-handed complimentan insult disguised as praisea veiled insult
ANTONYMS
a sincere complimentgenuine praisestraightforward praiseunqualified praise
GRAMMAR
Noun phrase · countable · often used with “give,” “take,” or “sound like.”
COMMON COLLOCATIONS
give someone a backhanded complimenttake something as a backhanded complimentsound like a backhanded complimenta backhanded compliment about someone's appearance
