Phrase guide

behind someone's back

prep_phrase · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

Without somebody's knowledge; secretly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • The employees talked about their boss behind his back.
  • You will lose good karma if you say bad things behind people's backs.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

prep_phrase

Meaning 2

Pursuing, nagging someone. Calque of వెంటపడు in Telugu.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: India, South

Examples

  • Amma is constantly behind my back about my marks.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 在某人背後 /在某人背后 (zài mǒurén bèihòu) — secretly
  • Min Nan Chinese: 尻川後 /尻川后 — secretly
  • Finnish: selän takana — secretly
  • French: dans le dos de — secretly
  • French: à l'insu de — secretly
  • German: hinter jemandes Rücken — secretly
  • German: hinterrücks — secretly
  • Hungarian: a háta mögött — secretly
  • Indonesian: di belakang — secretly
  • Italian: alle spalle — secretly
  • Portuguese: pelas costas — secretly
  • Russian: за глаза́ (za glazá) — secretly
  • Spanish: a espaldas de alguien — secretly
  • Spanish: por la puerta de atrás — secretly
  • Spanish: de extranjis — secretly
  • Spanish: de tapadillo — secretly
  • Spanish: a escondidas — secretly
  • Spanish: a escondidillas — secretly
  • Swedish: bakom någons rygg — secretly
  • Swedish: bakom ryggen på någon — secretly
  • Welsh: dan din — secretly