[Idiom] STAB IN THE BACK. - Building Trust: How to Avoid Betrayal in Relationships
Stab in the back.
/stæb ɪn ðə bæk/
Betray someone.
Stab in the back" is a powerful idiom that describes the act of betraying someone in a deceitful or treacherous manner. It vividly conjures the image of someone being literally stabbed from behind, where they can’t see the attack coming. This phrase is often used to discuss breaches of trust in personal relationships, politics, or business, emphasizing the deep impact and the emotional pain that betrayal can cause.
Example Sentences
Feeling betrayed, she couldn’t believe her best friend had stabbed her in the back.
This conveys a deep sense of betrayal as she did not expect such disloyalty from a close friend.
To share secrets with him and then see him stab you in the back was devastating.
This depicts the shock and hurt of seeing someone trusted with important information betray that trust by using it against you.
After trusting her with the project's details, it felt like a stab in the back to see her team up with a competitor.
After entrusting her with essential details of a project, finding her collaborating with a competitor feels deeply treacherous.