backstab
Betray a friend
To backstab is to betray someone who trusts you, especially by attacking their reputation or undermining them secretly: She backstabbed her best friend to get the promotion.
The image is of a literal knife in the back—harm delivered when the victim can't see it coming.
As a noun, a backstab is such an act of betrayal.
One who betrays allegiance
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
- turncoatOne who betrays allegiance
- betrayerOne who breaks allegiance
- JudasArchetypal betrayer name
sellout · disloyalty · treachery · perfidy · treason · defector · renegade · two-faced
Secretly planning wrongdoing
- manipulationUnderhanded control of others
- plottingDevising a secret plan
- duplicityDeliberate misleading behavior
- schemingCrafty and calculating
underhanded · conspiracy · intrigue · machination · collusion · cunning · calculating · deception
Unexpected event causing astonishment
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
- blindsideSurprise with unexpected force
- caught off guardSurprised when unprepared
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
sudden · without warning · unawares · sucker punch · bolt from the blue · out of nowhere · unprepared
Defame someone absent
- slanderSpoken false defamation
- smearSpread or defame
- badmouthCriticize someone harshly
- defameHarm reputation falsely
malign · trash-talk · rumor · whisper campaign · character assassination · mudslinging · two-faced · vilify
traitor
One who betrays allegiance
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
- turncoatOne who betrays allegiance
- betrayerOne who breaks allegiance
Judas · sellout · disloyalty · treachery · perfidy · treason · defector · renegade · two-faced · false friend
conniving
Secretly planning wrongdoing
- manipulationUnderhanded control of others
- plottingDevising a secret plan
- duplicityDeliberate misleading behavior
scheming · underhanded · conspiracy · intrigue · machination · collusion · cunning · calculating · deception · subterfuge
surprise
Unexpected event causing astonishment
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
- blindsideSurprise with unexpected force
- caught off guardSurprised when unprepared
shock · sudden · without warning · unawares · sucker punch · bolt from the blue · out of nowhere · unprepared
backbite
Defame someone absent
defame · malign · trash-talk · rumor · whisper campaign · character assassination · mudslinging · two-faced · vilify · besmirch
- betrayalbetray, traitor, double-cross, treachery, disloyalty
- disparagementdefame, denigrate, disparage, malign, slander
- game movesmove, dodge, play, pass, block
- reality TVSurvivor, contestant, The Bachelor, elimination, The Bachelorette
- attacksattack, assault, raid, strike, offensive
- defectiondefection, defect, defector, turncoat, desertion
backstabsupport
To uphold or sustain
stand by · have someone's back · stand up for · keep faith · stick by
backstabbing, backstabber, backstabbed, backstabs, backstabbers, backstabbings