as in treachery
the act or fact of violating the trust or confidence of another
the terrible betrayal of having her best friend reveal her confidences to others
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Recent Examples of betrayal
Of course, complicated government conspiracies, betrayals and high-tech weaponry abound.
—
Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
Each of these cases has been about love, betrayal, loss and joy.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 17 Feb. 2026
That would be a betrayal of the fans.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 17 Feb. 2026
But Sullivan’s feelings of anger and betrayal also extend to producers’ decision to frame the storyline as her cheating on her boyfriend.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for betrayal
Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
Each of these cases has been about love, betrayal, loss and joy.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 17 Feb. 2026
That would be a betrayal of the fans.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 17 Feb. 2026
But Sullivan’s feelings of anger and betrayal also extend to producers’ decision to frame the storyline as her cheating on her boyfriend.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for betrayal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betrayal
Noun
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Perfidy — from the French perfidie via the Latin perfidia — means deceitfulness, treachery or a breach of faith or promise.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026
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But despite all this, not every Chelsea fan outside his family will regard this transfer as treachery.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
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According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), investigators have opened more than 3,800 treason investigations since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, with more than 1,200 individuals already found guilty and sentenced.—
Daria Tarasova-Markina,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Her testimony also alleges that prosecutors blocked her from testifying in civilian court and that she was transferred to military jurisdiction, accused of crimes including treason, rebellion and terrorism.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Betrayal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betrayal. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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