Backhanded (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Roundabout or ambiguous; "attacks from that source amounted to a backhanded compliment to his integrity"; "a backhanded and dishonest way of reaching his goal".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The politician's backhanded apology for the scandal was met with skepticism by the public.
- Her backhanded comment about his cooking skills was meant to be a joke, but it still stung.
- The company's backhanded approach to customer service was to pretend to care while doing nothing.
- The backhanded way he broke the news to her was both insensitive and cowardly.
- The backhanded praise from his rival was a thinly veiled attempt to undermine his confidence.
Meaning 2
(of racket strokes) made across the body with back of hand facing direction of stroke.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The tennis player executed a precise backhanded shot that left her opponent struggling to return it.
- He practiced his backhanded swing in front of the mirror to perfect his technique.
- The backhanded volley was a crucial shot in the match, and she nailed it with ease.
- Her backhanded slice was so sharp that it dropped just inches from the baseline.
- The coach emphasized the importance of footwork when hitting a backhanded shot in a fast-paced game.