backstab

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/ˈbækˌstæb/

verb

To attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly in a deceitful, underhand, or treacherous manner, especially when they're not present in the place or situation that it happens.

Similar
stab in the back
UncommonScrabble 18
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Meanings

verbbackstab (third-person singular simple present backstabs, present participle backstabbing, simple past and past participle backstabbed)

present singular third person backstabs · participle present backstabbing · participle past backstabbed · past backstabbed

  1. transitiveTo attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly in a deceitful, underhand, or treacherous manner, especially when they're not present in the place or situation that it happens.

    Synonyms: stab in the back

nounbackstab (plural backstabs)

plural backstabs

  1. An act of backstabbing.

    After this conversation I was shocked; he asked me to leave the car so he would stay with her alone. Everything fell on me, I felt my body heavy and my heart beating very fast. It was such a backstab that it still hurts today.

    2016, Mauro Paulino, Forensic Psychology of Spousal Violence, London: Academic Press, →ISBN, page 160

    Synonyms: stab in the back

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly in a deceitful, underhand, or treacherous manner, especially when they're not present in the place or situation that it happens.

Similar
stab in the back

nounAn act of backstabbing.

Similar
stab in the back

Origin

From back + stab.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 背叛
  • 背叛 (bèipàn)to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
Finnish puukottaa selkään
  • puukottaa selkäänto attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
German hintergehen
  • hintergehento attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
Hungarian hátba támad, hátba szúr
  • hátba támadto attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
  • hátba szúrto attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
Indonesian menikam
  • menikamto attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
Italian colpire alle spalle
  • colpire alle spalleto attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
Japanese 裏切る
  • 裏切る (uragiru)to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
Polish wbijać nóż w plecy, wbić nóż w plecy
  • wbijać nóż w plecyto attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
  • wbić nóż w plecyto attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
Russian напада́ть исподтишка́, напа́сть исподтишка́
  • напада́ть исподтишка́ (napadátʹ ispodtišká)to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
  • напа́сть исподтишка́ (napástʹ ispodtišká)to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
  • ударя́ть в спи́ну (udarjátʹ v spínu)to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
  • уда́рить в спи́ну (udáritʹ v spínu)to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
Swedish ge någon en dolkstöt, ge någon ett svinhugg
  • ge någon en dolkstötto attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
  • ge någon ett svinhuggto attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
  • hugga i ryggento attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back
Cite this entry
APA

backstab. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/backstab

MLA

“backstab.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/backstab. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “backstab,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/backstab.

Source: backstab on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.