pay a backhanded compliment

pay someone a backhanded compliment

and pay someone a left-handed compliment

Fig. to give someone a false compliment that is really an insult or criticism. John said that he had never seen me looking better. I think he was paying me a left-handed compliment. I'd prefer that someone insulted me directly. I hate it when someone pays me a backhanded compliment—unless it's a joke.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Stribog	-	Slavic Mythology
Joey	['dʒəui]
Doron	-	Hebrew
Haf	-	Welsh
Ramla	-	Arabic
Garrison	['gærisn]