faithful

adjective

faith·ful | \ ˈfāth-fəl

Definition of faithful

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

faithful

noun

Definition of faithful (Entry 2 of 2)

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

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Choose the Right Synonym for faithful

Adjective

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

Adjective

faithful, loyal, and true mean firm in devotion to something. faithful is used of someone who has a firm and constant devotion to something to which he or she is united by or as if by a promise or pledge. Always be faithful to your duty. loyal is used of someone who firmly refuses to desert or betray someone or something. Most volunteers are loyal to their country. true is used of a person who is personally devoted to someone or something. She was a true friend who would help in time of need.

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

This game is packed with faithful recreations of the popular anime. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, "Ars Technica’s best games of 2018," 24 Dec. 2018 Walls were painted, pale wood floors restored, and the bathroom and kitchen were given a facelift that’s faithful to the architect’s original minimalist specifications. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "Moshe Safdie’s own unit in Habitat 67 completes renovation," 29 Nov. 2018 The Spellmans’ coven is literally ruled by the devil himself, the Dark Lord, who has a relentless agenda to make Sabrina his faithful mistress. — Kelsea Stahler, Teen Vogue, "The Resurgence of Witches in Pop Culture Like Sabrina, AHS "Coven," and "Charmed" Reflects Women in the Real World," 14 Nov. 2018 The Seattle faithful are more into Candlebox, anyway. — Seattle Times Sports Staff, The Seattle Times, "Seattle Seahawks vs. Detroit Lions: Week 8 national media predictions," 26 Oct. 2018 Ann was a faithful parishioner of Mary, Gate of Heaven Parishes for many years. — courant.com, "Angelina C. Dessaint," 13 July 2018 Hotel loyalty benefits — such as access to room upgrades, late checkout and other amenities — aren’t reserved only for the most faithful, highest-spending customers anymore. — Claire Tsosie, The Seattle Times, "Snag these hotel loyalty perks, even if you’re disloyal," 20 Nov. 2018 In a letter Wednesday to the Chinese faithful, the pope urged Chinese Catholics to trust him. — Christopher Bodeen, Fox News, "Vatican agreement with China draws concerns amid crackdown," 28 Sep. 2018 There's not much to learn for CoD's faithful (beyond holding the crouch button longer to go prone), and that familiarity and popularity hasn't hurt the beta period's nearly instantaneous queue fills. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Call of Duty battle royale beta: Surprisingly tame, surprisingly solid," 12 Sep. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

An actual tryst requires people to be physically present in the same place, but foreplay can happen anytime, anywhere – and the faithful may have no idea. — Kim Komando, Fox News, "8 clever ways that tech can reveal a cheating spouse," 15 Sep. 2018 To the teams’ faithful, this matchup is a litmus test. — Rachel Bachman, WSJ, "The Return of the College Football Matchup Fans Love to Hate," 30 Aug. 2018 More than 1 million faithfuls attending his final mass during a six-day visit to Latin America. — Kainaz Amaria, Vox, "2018, explained in pictures by women and non-binary photographers," 21 Dec. 2018 Addressing a conference of his ruling party faithful in the capital, Recep Tayyip Erdogan added fuel to the spat with the U.S., even as local business groups called on his government to settle it. — Suzan Fraser, The Seattle Times, "Turkey’s Erdogan vows US boycott, but diplomats resume talks," 14 Aug. 2018 When Doucette made her final save of the afternoon with 2 minutes, 30 seconds to play, the Indian faithful roared. — Mitchell Gladstone, Philly.com, "Erin Garvey's six goals carry Unionville to girls lacrosse state title," 9 June 2018 Whatever the result or state of the national team, the Dutch faithful will always be there, creating a celebratory atmosphere in a bid to bring inspiration to those donning the shirt. — SI.com, "7 of the Most Iconic National Team Fans From Around the World," 31 May 2018 The crowd’s challenge was to match the thunderous roars of the Mexican faithful who have descended on Russian stadiums, declaring their side the home team at venues that are continents and oceans from their homeland. — Patrick J. Mcdonnell, latimes.com, "In Mexico the joy continues as national team wins again in the World Cup," 24 June 2018 Even though Leeds will not make the play-offs this season, Heckingbottom and the Leeds faithful should not be too disheartened. — SI.com, "FanView: Why Paul Heckingbottom's Leeds Should Be Title Contenders Next Season," 5 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'faithful.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.