| Main Entry: | backstab |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack indirectly |
Synonyms: |
backbite, betray, double-cross, play Judas, sell down the river, slander, smear |
| Main Entry: | backbiting |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | hateful talk |
Synonyms: |
abuse, aspersion, backstabbing, belittlement, calumniation, calumny, cattiness, defamation, denigration, depreciation, detraction, disparagement, gossip, invective, lie, malice, obloquy, scandal, slander, spite, spitefulness, tale, traducement, vilification, vituperation |
Antonyms: |
encouragement, praise |
| Main Entry: | defamation |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | libel, slander |
Synonyms: |
aspersion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, black eye, calumny, character assassination, cheap shot, denigration, depreciation, detraction, dirt, dirty laundry, disparagement, dump*, dynamite, hit, knock, lie, low-down dirty, mud, obloquy, opprobrium, scorcher, slam*, slap in face, slime, slur, smear, tale, traducement, vilification |
Antonyms: |
approval, commendation, compliment, exaltation, praise |
| Main Entry: | detraction |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | misrepresentation; slander |
Synonyms: |
abuse, aspersion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, calumny, damage, defamation, denigration, deprecation, derogation, disesteem, disparagement, harm, hit, hurt, injury, injustice, innuendo, insinuation, knock*, libel, libeling, lie, maligning, minimization, muckraking, obloquy, pejorative, revilement, ridicule, running down, scandal, scandalmongering, scurrility, slam, smear campaign, tale, traducement, traducing, vilification, vituperation, wrong |
Antonyms: |
admiration, adulation, flattery, praise |
| Main Entry: | disparagement |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | strong criticism; detraction |
Synonyms: |
aspersion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, blame, calumny, censure, condemnation, contempt, contumely, debasement, degradation, denunciation, depreciation, derision, derogation, discredit, disdain, impairment, lessening, lie, prejudice, reproach, ridicule, scandal, scorn, slander, tale, underestimation |
Antonyms: |
approval, commendation, compliment, flattery, praise, sanction |
| Main Entry: | scandal |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | public embarrassment |
Synonyms: |
aspersion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, calumny, crime, defamation, depreciation, detraction, dirty linen, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disparagement, disrepute, dynamite, eavesdropping, gossip, hearsay, idle rumor, ignominy, infamy, mud, obloquy, opprobrium, reproach, rumor, scorcher, shame, sin, skeleton in closet, slander, tale, talk, turpitude, wrongdoing |
| Main Entry: | slander |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | scandalous remark |
Synonyms: |
aspersion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, black eye, calumny, defamation, depreciation, detraction, dirt*, dirty linen, disparagement, hit*, libel, lie, misrepresentation, muckraking, mud, mud-slinging, obloquy, rap, scandal, slam*, slime, smear, tale |
| Notes: | libel (from Latin libellus 'little book') must be published, while spoken defamatory remarks are slander; libel first meant 'document, written statement' slander is spoken defamation; libel is written or visual or broadcast defamation |
Antonyms: |
glorification, nicety, praise |
| Main Entry: | stab in the back |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attack unsuspecting person |
Synonyms: |
abandon, backstab, be disloyal, be unfaithful, betray, break promise, commit treason, cross, deceive, double-cross, doublecross, finger*, go back on, inform on, play Judas, sell down the river, sell down the river, sell out, trick, turn in, turn informer, turn traitor |
| Main Entry: | two-faced |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | deceitful |
Synonyms: |
artful, backstabbing, beguiling, crafty, cunning, deceiving, deceptive, dishonest, double-dealing, foxy, fraudulent, guileful, hypocritical, insincere, knavish, lying, misleading, shifty, sly, sneaky, tricky, underhanded, untruthful |
| Main Entry: | two-time |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | be disloyal |
Synonyms: |
backstab, be dishonest, be disloyal, be unfaithful, betray, burn, cheat, con, deceive, defraud, double-cross, dupe, mislead, take advantage of, trick, victimize |