pat on the back

Idioms and Phrases

A word or gesture of support, approval, or praise, as in The bonus she gave her assistant was a pat on the back for doing a good job . [Early 1800s]

Example Sentences

The Liberal Democrat gathering in Brighton amounted to the party giving itself a four-day pat on the back.

From BBC

There was the consoling pat on the back from Harry Diamond.

From BBC

That self-congratulatory cinematic gesture almost feels insulting, when it’s the audience who deserves a reassuring pat on the back.

From Los Angeles Times

And while comedy guest stars Bob Odenkirk, Jamie Lee Curtis, Olivia Colman and Will Poulter all turn in extraordinary performances in "The Bear," where is Oliver Platt's pat on the back?

From Salon

In that way, likes are a major tool of online community building, like a digital nod of the head or a pat on the back.

From Slate