Meaning of damn with faint praise | Babel Free

Definitions

To provide praise that is minimal or inconsequential, implying that such praise is the best that could be said.

idiomatic

Examples

“Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer, And without sneering teach the rest to sneer.”

“The patronizing manner in which the hero of Nashville is damned with faint praise would amuse were it not so exasperating.”

“Four of them returned it with a cold, printed note of rejection; one of them “damned with faint praise.” They wrote that “Our readers report that they find some merit in your story, but not enough to warrant its acceptance.””

“And then, finally, when W. could avoid it no longer, he mentioned Vice, damning with faint praise: “Dick Cheney’s advice was consistent and strong.””

CEFR level