backhanded

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Last Thanksgiving was full of backhanded compliments and pointed remarks.

From MarketWatch

Classics YouTube channel, though these are mostly — maybe entirely — extracted highlights rather than full cartoons, which is its own kind of backhanded insult.

From Los Angeles Times

Between the actor’s silent conversations and the nuances of envy and backhanded slights White conveys through dialogue, these friends brutally play out the intimacy gap that can doom vintage friendships.

From Salon

In past seasons, that description might have landed as a backhanded compliment — a “nice try” in the wake of some form-breaking comedy’s ascension as a critical darling.

From Salon

Critics liked it well enough, but often in a backhanded way, calling it a very good television movie.

From Los Angeles Times