# stick the knife in

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/stick-the-knife-in
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To say or do something deliberately and unnecessarily malicious.

## Examples

- He really stuck the knife in with that mean comment.
- Just when she was already feeling bad about her mistake, he stuck the knife in by criticizing her work in front of everyone.
- Despite her attempts to reconcile, he chose to stick the knife in, reminding her of every past failure during the most public moment of her career.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.