back-stabbing
B2Informal, occasionally pejorative
Definition
Meaning
The act of secretly betraying someone who trusts you, especially by saying harmful things about them to others.
Deceitful or treacherous behavior towards someone in a close relationship, characterized by betrayal of trust for personal gain or advantage.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies both secrecy and personal betrayal; used metaphorically from literal stabbing in the back; carries strong negative emotional charge.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Hyphenated spelling more common in British English (back-stabbing), often solid in American English (backstabbing).
Connotations
Similar strong negative connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American media and political discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] engage in back-stabbingaccuse [someone] of back-stabbingcharacterized by back-stabbingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “stab someone in the back”
- “knife in the back”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Describes toxic workplace politics where colleagues undermine each other secretly.
Academic
Used in political science to describe factional infighting.
Everyday
Common in discussions about friendship betrayals or family conflicts.
Technical
Rare in technical contexts except metaphorical use in game theory.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She felt completely back-stabbed by her closest colleague.
- Politicians often back-stab their allies to gain promotion.
American English
- He backstabbed his partner to get the promotion.
- I can't believe she would backstab me after all I've done.
adverb
British English
- They behaved back-stabbingly throughout the entire project.
- He acted back-stabbingly towards his former mentor.
American English
- He acted backstabingly to get ahead in the company.
- The remarks were made backstabingly during private meetings.
adjective
British English
- The office had a back-stabbing atmosphere that made everyone anxious.
- His back-stabbing comments were discovered in leaked emails.
American English
- The backstabbing tactics in the campaign were shocking.
- She's tired of the backstabbing politics at work.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I don't like back-stabbing friends.
- Back-stabbing makes people sad.
- The back-stabbing in our office creates a bad atmosphere.
- She was hurt by the back-stabbing from her classmates.
- Corporate back-stabbing often occurs during promotion periods.
- The political party was weakened by internal back-stabbing among senior members.
- The relentless back-stabbing within the management team eventually led to the company's poor performance.
- Her memoir revealed the systemic back-stabbing that characterized the administration's inner circle.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine someone smiling to your face while secretly holding a knife behind their back.
Conceptual Metaphor
BETRAYAL IS PHYSICAL VIOLENCE FROM BEHIND
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation; Russian 'за спиной' (behind the back) describes gossip but lacks the betrayal intensity.
- Russian 'предательство' captures betrayal but not the secrecy element.
Common Mistakes
- Using as a verb form ('He back-stabbed me' is informal; 'He betrayed me' is standard formal).
- Confusing with legitimate criticism or open disagreement.
Practice
Quiz
Which situation best illustrates 'back-stabbing'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, by definition it implies deliberate, secret betrayal. Accidental harm wouldn't qualify as back-stabbing.
It's generally considered informal. In formal contexts, use 'betrayal', 'treachery', or 'duplicitous behavior' instead.
Gossip may be idle talk without malicious intent. Back-stabbing specifically aims to harm someone secretly, often involving betrayal of trust.
In British English, the hyphen is standard. American English often uses 'backstabbing' as one word. Both are acceptable.