backhanded compliment

idiom

Meaning

An insult disguised as a compliment; a compliment which can be interpreted as an insult.

Origin

disputed origin

Compound of backhanded + compliment. Similar figurative uses of backhanded are attested from at least the early 19th century.

Examples

SIMPLE

That was a backhanded compliment about my new haircut.

CONTEXTUAL

She gave me a backhanded compliment by saying I looked great for my age.

COMPLEX

His remark was clearly a backhanded compliment, as he praised my work while implying it was surprisingly competent for someone with my limited experience.

Anchors to

backhanded
compliment

Related idioms2entries

01
Chinese compliment
A pretense of deference; a veiled or subtle insult.
02
left-handed compliment
A complimentary remark which is ambiguous or ineptly worded, so that it may be interpreted as having an unflattering or dismissive sense.