a backhanded compliment
idiomPart ofcompliment
a backhanded compliment — idiom
1. A remark that sounds nice but actually contains a hidden insult.
1.idiom
Definition
A remark that sounds nice but actually contains a hidden insult.
Example
Maya called my dress "interesting," which felt like a backhanded compliment.
Did Brian mean that as a backhanded compliment when he said I was surprisingly smart?