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 of betrayal

• treachery
• treason

Examples of betrayal in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Ultimately, the reassurances about community resources and air quality failed to quell the fury inside the room as residents took the microphone during the Q&A section and repeatedly expressed feelings of betrayal and mistrust. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

Cupertino, which is slated to premiere in the fall on CBS, follows a former tech lawyer (Colter) who, after experiencing a betrayal from his former employer, teams up with another attorney to represent underdogs in litigation against tech giants. — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 10 July 2026

France’s reward was vengeance on Great Britain for the defeat of the Seven Years War—and betrayal by Americans willing to cut a separate peace with King George III. — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 9 July 2026

But the filmmaker proves more interested in interrogating that ethos than recreating it, and few horror mythologies are better suited to exploring betrayal and regret than one built around the refusal to let the dead remain dead. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing betrayal

• self-betrayal

Rhymes for betrayal

• portrayal