"backstab" meaning in English

See backstab in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈbækˌstæb/ Forms: backstabs [plural]
Etymology: From back + stab. Etymology templates: {{compound|en|back|stab}} back + stab Head templates: {{en-noun}} backstab (plural backstabs)
  1. An act of backstabbing. Synonyms: stab in the back
    Sense id: en-backstab-en-noun-vlNrlZlM

Verb

IPA: /ˈbækˌstæb/ Forms: backstabs [present, singular, third-person], backstabbing [participle, present], backstabbed [participle, past], backstabbed [past]
Etymology: From back + stab. Etymology templates: {{compound|en|back|stab}} back + stab Head templates: {{en-verb|++}} backstab (third-person singular simple present backstabs, present participle backstabbing, simple past and past participle backstabbed)
  1. (transitive) To attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly in a deceitful, underhand, or treacherous manner, especially when they're not present in the place or situation that it happens. Tags: transitive Synonyms: stab in the back Derived forms: backstabbee, backstabber, backstabby Translations (to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back): 背叛 (bèipàn) (Chinese Mandarin), puukottaa selkään (Finnish), hintergehen (German), hátba támad (Hungarian), hátba szúr (Hungarian), menikam (Indonesian), colpire alle spalle (Italian), 裏切る (uragiru) (alt: うらぎる) (Japanese), напада́ть исподтишка́ (napadátʹ ispodtišká) [imperfective] (Russian), напа́сть исподтишка́ (napástʹ ispodtišká) [perfective] (Russian), ударя́ть в спи́ну (udarjátʹ v spínu) [imperfective] (Russian), уда́рить в спи́ну (udáritʹ v spínu) [perfective] (Russian), ge någon en dolkstöt [common-gender] (Swedish), ge någon ett svinhugg [neuter] (Swedish), hugga i ryggen (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-backstab-en-verb-GYhzvNjb Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Indonesian translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Japanese translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Swedish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 11 89 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 11 89 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 11 89 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 9 91 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 17 83 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 14 86 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 18 82 Disambiguation of Terms with Indonesian translations: 22 78 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 17 83 Disambiguation of Terms with Japanese translations: 14 86 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 13 87 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 14 86 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 16 84

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "back",
        "3": "stab"
      },
      "expansion": "back + stab",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From back + stab.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "backstabs",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "backstabbing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "backstabbed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "backstabbed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "++"
      },
      "expansion": "backstab (third-person singular simple present backstabs, present participle backstabbing, simple past and past participle backstabbed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "11 89",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 89",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 89",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 91",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 83",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 86",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 82",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 78",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Indonesian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 83",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 86",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Japanese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 87",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 86",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "16 84",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Swedish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "backstabbee"
        },
        {
          "word": "backstabber"
        },
        {
          "word": "backstabby"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly in a deceitful, underhand, or treacherous manner, especially when they're not present in the place or situation that it happens."
      ],
      "id": "en-backstab-en-verb-GYhzvNjb",
      "links": [
        [
          "attack",
          "attack"
        ],
        [
          "unfairly",
          "unfairly"
        ],
        [
          "deceitful",
          "deceitful"
        ],
        [
          "underhand",
          "underhand"
        ],
        [
          "treacherous",
          "treacherous"
        ],
        [
          "present",
          "present"
        ],
        [
          "place",
          "place"
        ],
        [
          "situation",
          "situation"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly in a deceitful, underhand, or treacherous manner, especially when they're not present in the place or situation that it happens."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "stab in the back"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "lang_code": "cmn",
          "roman": "bèipàn",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "word": "背叛"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "lang_code": "fi",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "word": "puukottaa selkään"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "word": "hintergehen"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "word": "hátba támad"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "word": "hátba szúr"
        },
        {
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "lang_code": "id",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "word": "menikam"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "lang_code": "it",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "word": "colpire alle spalle"
        },
        {
          "alt": "うらぎる",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "lang_code": "ja",
          "roman": "uragiru",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "word": "裏切る"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "napadátʹ ispodtišká",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "напада́ть исподтишка́"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "napástʹ ispodtišká",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "напа́сть исподтишка́"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "udarjátʹ v spínu",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "ударя́ть в спи́ну"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "udáritʹ v spínu",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "уда́рить в спи́ну"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "lang_code": "sv",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "ge någon en dolkstöt"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "lang_code": "sv",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "ge någon ett svinhugg"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "lang_code": "sv",
          "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
          "word": "hugga i ryggen"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈbækˌstæb/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "backstab"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "back",
        "3": "stab"
      },
      "expansion": "back + stab",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From back + stab.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "backstabs",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "backstab (plural backstabs)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              191,
              199
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2016, Mauro Paulino, Forensic Psychology of Spousal Violence, London: Academic Press, →ISBN, page 160:",
          "text": "After this conversation I was shocked; he asked me to leave the car so he would stay with her alone. Everything fell on me, I felt my body heavy and my heart beating very fast. It was such a backstab that it still hurts today.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An act of backstabbing."
      ],
      "id": "en-backstab-en-noun-vlNrlZlM",
      "links": [
        [
          "act",
          "act"
        ],
        [
          "backstabbing",
          "backstab#Verb"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "stab in the back"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈbækˌstæb/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "backstab"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English compound terms",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Indonesian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Japanese translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "backstabbee"
    },
    {
      "word": "backstabber"
    },
    {
      "word": "backstabby"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "back",
        "3": "stab"
      },
      "expansion": "back + stab",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From back + stab.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "backstabs",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "backstabbing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "backstabbed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "backstabbed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "++"
      },
      "expansion": "backstab (third-person singular simple present backstabs, present participle backstabbing, simple past and past participle backstabbed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly in a deceitful, underhand, or treacherous manner, especially when they're not present in the place or situation that it happens."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "attack",
          "attack"
        ],
        [
          "unfairly",
          "unfairly"
        ],
        [
          "deceitful",
          "deceitful"
        ],
        [
          "underhand",
          "underhand"
        ],
        [
          "treacherous",
          "treacherous"
        ],
        [
          "present",
          "present"
        ],
        [
          "place",
          "place"
        ],
        [
          "situation",
          "situation"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly in a deceitful, underhand, or treacherous manner, especially when they're not present in the place or situation that it happens."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "stab in the back"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈbækˌstæb/"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "lang_code": "cmn",
      "roman": "bèipàn",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "word": "背叛"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "lang_code": "fi",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "word": "puukottaa selkään"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "word": "hintergehen"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "word": "hátba támad"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "word": "hátba szúr"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "lang_code": "id",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "word": "menikam"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "lang_code": "it",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "word": "colpire alle spalle"
    },
    {
      "alt": "うらぎる",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "lang_code": "ja",
      "roman": "uragiru",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "word": "裏切る"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "napadátʹ ispodtišká",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "напада́ть исподтишка́"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "napástʹ ispodtišká",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "напа́сть исподтишка́"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "udarjátʹ v spínu",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "ударя́ть в спи́ну"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "udáritʹ v spínu",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "уда́рить в спи́ну"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "lang_code": "sv",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "ge någon en dolkstöt"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "lang_code": "sv",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "ge någon ett svinhugg"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "lang_code": "sv",
      "sense": "to attack someone (especially verbally) unfairly — see also stab in the back",
      "word": "hugga i ryggen"
    }
  ],
  "word": "backstab"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English compound terms",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Indonesian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Japanese translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "back",
        "3": "stab"
      },
      "expansion": "back + stab",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From back + stab.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "backstabs",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "backstab (plural backstabs)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              191,
              199
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2016, Mauro Paulino, Forensic Psychology of Spousal Violence, London: Academic Press, →ISBN, page 160:",
          "text": "After this conversation I was shocked; he asked me to leave the car so he would stay with her alone. Everything fell on me, I felt my body heavy and my heart beating very fast. It was such a backstab that it still hurts today.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An act of backstabbing."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "act",
          "act"
        ],
        [
          "backstabbing",
          "backstab#Verb"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "stab in the back"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈbækˌstæb/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "backstab"
}

Download raw JSONL data for backstab meaning in English (6.6kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-06-07 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-06-01 using wiktextract (e79dea5 and 7f4db16). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.