betrayal

noun

be·​tray·​al bi-ˈtrā(-ə)l 

bē-

plural betrayals

1

: the act of betraying someone or something or the fact of being betrayed : violation of a person's trust or confidence, of a moral standard, etc.

the betrayal of a friend

a betrayal of trust

a betrayal of one's principles

A man who built his entire administration upon demanding unctuous loyalty from his allies now finds himself wounded by their shabby betrayal.

—Jack Hitt

The double life of an informant is a peculiar one, filled at the same time with tedium and betrayal.

—Karen Richardson

Even Jesus recognized that there was something paradoxical about his betrayal by Judas Iscariot—in three of the four canonical Gospels, with a kiss.

—David Gates

2

: revelation of something hidden or secret

a betrayal of one's true feelings

There was never doubt, never a betrayal of indecision.

—Jack London

… she had shrunk with irresistible dread from every course that could tend towards a betrayal of her miserable secret.

—George Eliot

Synonyms

• backstabbing
• business
• disloyalty
• double cross
• faithlessness
• falseness
• falsity
• infidelity
• perfidy
• sellout
• treachery
• treason
• two-timing
• unfaithfulness

Examples of betrayal in a Sentence

the terrible betrayal of having her best friend reveal her confidences to others

Recent Examples on the Web

Regardless, the real reason for the betrayal will never be known. —Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 1 June 2024

Filled with hedonism, betrayal, ruthless cruelty, and even murder, the show is a salacious historical romp through one of Italy’s most colorful chapters. —Cady Lang, TIME, 16 May 2024

And in the end, every landscape served as backdrop for her central themes, which were the unpredictability of life and the betrayals that women suffer or commit — scenes redolent with autobiography. —Anthony Depalma, New York Times, 14 May 2024

During that time, accounts of daring Viking voyages, love, war, betrayal, and heroism – featuring a pantheon of gods, trolls, giants, dwarfs, and humans – were all part of a rich oral tradition. —Kristina Lindborg, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing betrayal

• self-betrayal