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
Holy Week begins with a triumphal procession, descends into betrayal and death, and ends with resurrection.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
As is often true of an Allbee play, cracks in the veneer open into chasms of striving, desire, betrayal and raw revelation.
—Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
The star sings of betrayal and heartbreak and finding the strength to move on.
—Janine Rubenstein, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
While some conservatives have described the war as a betrayal, many other Republicans have cheered on the president’s actions.
—Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for betrayal
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
As is often true of an Allbee play, cracks in the veneer open into chasms of striving, desire, betrayal and raw revelation.
—Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
The star sings of betrayal and heartbreak and finding the strength to move on.
—Janine Rubenstein, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
While some conservatives have described the war as a betrayal, many other Republicans have cheered on the president’s actions.
—Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for betrayal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betrayal
Noun
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Inflamed by Ratansen’s adviser’s account of Padmavati’s beauty, Alauddin Khalji storms the fortress by treachery rather than valor.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
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But Bateman's treachery also had a distinctly silly side.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Consider this evilmeister’s brazen acts of treason and revenge, unbounded deceit, swinish immorality and negative role modeling.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
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She was imprisoned in Salimgarh Fort (a part of Red Fort) in Delhi by her father for more than 20 years for inciting her brother, Muhammad Akbar, to commit treason.—
Tamanna Nangia,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Betrayal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betrayal. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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