as in traitor
one who betrays a trust or an allegiance
a backstabber taking credit for work she didn't do while bad-mouthing the rest of the team to the boss
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Recent Examples of backstabber
There were no suggestions that good family friends were liars or backstabbers, no angry exchanges between a man’s wife and the same man’s sister.
—
Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Prayer mats lie next to heavy artillery; smoke billows from parked whips; backstabbers get cut first.
—Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2025
Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Prayer mats lie next to heavy artillery; smoke billows from parked whips; backstabbers get cut first.
—Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backstabber
traitor
Noun
-
Rinna was the second traitor to be banished this season, following TV personality Donna Kelce.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Other must reads For centuries, Malinche was vilified in Mexico as the ultimate traitor.—
Kevinisha Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backstabber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backstabber. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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