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 of faithful

Adjective

• loyal
• steadfast
• staunch
• devout
• true

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

Many thought that these books were unadaptable, but these movies have turned out wonderfully and are surprisingly faithful to the host work. — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

According to historians, people in the ancient world argued over where Odysseus’ journeys took him and whether his wife, Penelope, was faithful. — John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026

Noun

Maurice Jones-Drew will forever be etched into the memories of the Bruin faithful. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026

But the unintentional fake out showed just how eager the Bronx faithful is to see Lombard in the big leagues. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 25 July 2026

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

Rhymes for faithful

• unfaithful

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