backhanded compliment
Seemingly kind subtle dig
A backhanded compliment is praise that contains an implicit insult or criticism: You're so articulate for someone your age, I love how you don't care what people think of your outfit.
The surface compliment is undercut by an assumption that diminishes the recipient.
Whether intentional or not, backhanded compliments leave the target feeling worse, not better.
- smirkPleased, superior smile
- put-downDisparaging remark
- sneerScornful expression
- scoffMock with disdain
- microaggressionSmall, often unconscious, biased remark
double-edged · sarcasm · negging · indirectness · passive-aggressive · sideswipe · nice try · damn with faint praise · sugar-coated insult · bless your heart · insincere · underhanded · ulterior motives · insinuation · tease · disingenuous · hypocrisy · left-handed
- insincerityinsincerity, phoniness, fakeness, falseness, pretense
- mockerymockery, ridiculing, jeers, jeering, jibes
- passive aggressionsilent treatment, cold shoulder, eye rolling, eye roll, eye-rolling
- social blundersgaffe, faux pas, misstep, blooper, flub
- manipulation tacticsgaslighting, guilt trip, guilt-tripping, guilt tripping, emotional blackmail
- low blowscheap shot, low blow, sucker punch, below the belt, hit below the belt
compliment, compliments, complimentary, complementary, complimented, backhand, complimenting, backhanded, backhanding