faithful

1 of 2

adjective

faith·​ful ˈfāth-fəl 

1

: steadfast in affection or allegiance : loyal

a faithful friend

2

: firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty : conscientious

a faithful employee

3

: given with strong assurance : binding

a faithful promise

4

: true to the facts, to a standard, or to an original

a faithful copy

5

obsolete : full of faith

faithfully

ˈfāth-fə-lē 

adverb

faithfulness noun

faithful

2 of 2

noun

1

plural in construction

a

: church members in full communion and good standing

—used with the

b

: the body of believers in Islam

—used with the

2

plural faithful or faithfuls : one who is faithful

especially : a loyal follower, member, or fan

party faithfuls

Synonyms

Adjective

• constant
• dedicated
• devoted
• devout
• down-the-line
• fast
• good
• loyal
• pious
• staunch
• stanch
• steadfast
• steady
• true
• true-blue

Choose the Right Synonym for faithful

faithful, loyal, constant, staunch, steadfast, resolute mean firm in adherence to whatever one owes allegiance.

faithful implies unswerving adherence to a person or thing or to the oath or promise by which a tie was contracted.

faithful to her promise

loyal implies a firm resistance to any temptation to desert or betray.

remained loyal to the czar

constant stresses continuing firmness of emotional attachment without necessarily implying strict obedience to promises or vows.

constant friends

staunch suggests fortitude and resolution in adherence and imperviousness to influences that would weaken it.

a staunch defender of free speech

steadfast implies a steady and unwavering course in love, allegiance, or conviction.

steadfast in their support

resolute implies firm determination to adhere to a cause or purpose.

a resolute ally

Examples of faithful in a Sentence

Adjective

She has provided the company with many years of faithful service.

He insists that he has always been faithful to his wife.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The 2000 John Cusack movie was a faithful adaptation of the 1995 Nick Hornby novel, but like a great cover of a classic hit, the 2020 series modernized it for today. —Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 13 Apr. 2024

Only a few dozen faithful attended the service as the Israel-Hamas war rages on in Gaza. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English feithful, from feith faith entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1

Noun

derivative of faithful entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing faithful

• the faithful

Kids Definition

faithful

1 of 2 adjective

faith·​ful ˈfāth-fəl 

1

: loyal sense 1b

a faithful friend

2

: firm in keeping promises or in fulfilling duties

a faithful worker

3

: true to the facts : accurate

faithful copy

faithfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

faithfulness noun

faithful

2 of 2 noun

plural faithful or faithfuls

: one that has faith or is faithful