backhanded compliment
noun
: a compliment that implies it is not really a compliment at all
She paid me a backhanded compliment when she said my work was "surprisingly good."
Dictionary Entries Near backhanded compliment
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“Backhanded compliment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backhanded%20compliment. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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