backbite
7 synonyms and 1 antonym for backbite, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To say unkind, untrue things about someone.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
Etymology
Comes from Middle English bakbiten, bacbiten, equivalent to back- + bite. It is cognate with Icelandic bakbíta (“to backbite, vilify”).
Full origin of backbite →