throwing under bus
Blame-shifting to colleagues
Throwing someone under the bus is betraying or sacrificing them to protect yourself or gain advantage—typically by shifting blame or withdrawing support at a critical moment: When the project failed, she threw her assistant under the bus.
The image suggests pushing someone into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
The phrase implies callousness and self-interest, often in workplace or political contexts where alliances prove fragile under pressure.
- betrayalBreaking of trust
- backstabBetray someone's trust
- stab in backTreacherous act against ally
- scapegoatUnfairly blamed person
- take the fallAccept blame for another
blame · pass the buck · treachery · snitch · sellout · sacrifice · disloyalty · rat · expose · point the finger · abandon · left hanging · accusation · coward · deflect · finger-pointing · turncoat · setup
- office politicsoffice politics, backstabbing, power plays, favoritism, nepotism
- evasionevasion, avoiding, avoids, evade, dodging
throwing under bushaving someone's back
Providing reliable support
standing up for · defending · protecting · covering for · backing up
throwing under bustaking responsibility
owning up · falling on one's sword · admitting fault · stepping up · manning up