1
as in crossed
to be unfaithful or disloyal to
childhood friends of movie stars often betray them by telling their secrets to the supermarket tabloids
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in revealed
to make known (something abstract) through outward signs
his face betrayed his exasperation with his nosy neighbor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tempted
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage
she was betrayed by a false show of friendship into covering up the crime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of betrayed
When Grant became president in 1869 and tried to crack down on the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups, ex-Confederates demonized him as a radical extremist who had betrayed his promises to Lee.
—
Made By History, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
The series details how betrayed the students felt to be spied on by an institution they were supposed to trust, and the impact on their mental health and development.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 8 Apr. 2025
Kamal Ali, who works in AI, said he felt betrayed by that shift.
—Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
What followed was a shocking turn of events, as Cena, fresh from winning the Men's Elimination Chamber and securing a WrestleMania title shot against Rhodes, betrayed his long-standing heroic persona and launched a brutal attack on Rhodes.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Today many Americans feel betrayed by Washington's globalist elite.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Driving down the promenade in Davos, Forrest betrayed some frustration with his counterparts who have used the zeitgeist shift as cover to change course.
—Justin Worland, TIME, 25 Feb. 2025
Danielle ultimately won the battle, but the certainty and precision of her attack may have ultimately betrayed her own position, in much the same way that the elimination of Bob the Drag Queen came back to bite Boston Rob in the ass.
—Samantha Allen, Them, 21 Feb. 2025
The sacrifice of the millions of Americans who have died in the successful strategy that has protected us for decades is betrayed.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
Made By History, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
The series details how betrayed the students felt to be spied on by an institution they were supposed to trust, and the impact on their mental health and development.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 8 Apr. 2025
Kamal Ali, who works in AI, said he felt betrayed by that shift.
—Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
What followed was a shocking turn of events, as Cena, fresh from winning the Men's Elimination Chamber and securing a WrestleMania title shot against Rhodes, betrayed his long-standing heroic persona and launched a brutal attack on Rhodes.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Today many Americans feel betrayed by Washington's globalist elite.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Driving down the promenade in Davos, Forrest betrayed some frustration with his counterparts who have used the zeitgeist shift as cover to change course.
—Justin Worland, TIME, 25 Feb. 2025
Danielle ultimately won the battle, but the certainty and precision of her attack may have ultimately betrayed her own position, in much the same way that the elimination of Bob the Drag Queen came back to bite Boston Rob in the ass.
—Samantha Allen, Them, 21 Feb. 2025
The sacrifice of the millions of Americans who have died in the successful strategy that has protected us for decades is betrayed.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betrayed
Verb
-
On Sunday, the FBI said its investigation has crossed state and international borders with agents following leads in several states and other countries.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA TODAY,
6 Jan. 2025
-
Then with my coming to the organization and bouncing around in different roles, our paths crossed quite a bit.—
Andrew Baggarly,
The Athletic,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Their findings revealed that persistent visual cues of disorganization deplete our cognitive resources and impair our ability to concentrate.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
-
Known for documenting her experiences on over 60 cruises, her journey aboard Global Mercy showcased a stark contrast to her usual floating escapes—and revealed how cruise ship design and operations underpin this vital humanitarian effort.—
David Nikel,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
You may be tempted to pump the wand into the tube to get the brush saturated, but don't—MAC says this causes the formula to dry out.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Sources say Ratcliffe felt either man might be tempted by the appeal of United, with both having the resources.—
Adam Crafton,
The Athletic,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Armisen voices a number of droll characters and is hilariously — and fittingly — deadpan as the figure of Death who becomes seduced by show biz via a clever agent (Kind).—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
23 Dec. 2024
-
Humankind has always been seduced by promises of miraculous solutions.—
Luis E. Romero,
Forbes,
18 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The team focused on the northern end of town, known as Upper Brooklyn, where records showed the founding families once lived.—
Jonathan Bullington,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2025
-
More than 330 million people throughout the world suffer from depressive disorders, and a 2019 study showed that 7% of Americans reported moderate or severe symptoms of depression in the previous two weeks.—
Ronnie Cohen,
NPR,
5 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Founded in 1846, Fort Benton lured cowboys and miners who arrived on horseback or by steamboat on the Missouri River.—
Jim Robbins,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Mar. 2025
-
The footage also details what happened when the alligator took a bite out of an apparent kitchen-table chair, as an FWC official quickly lured the animal out of the home with a pole.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Seattle’s pursuit of veteran guard Will Fries in free agency demonstrated a willingness to be aggressive to address the interior of the line, and this would fit that approach.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
-
Empirical evidence has demonstrated that when patients use price information their total payments are lower for common medical services.—
Rita Numerof,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Our publicist persuaded the New York Times to do an article on the hundredth anniversary of La Bohème and its staying power as reflected by Rent.—
Jeffrey Seller,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Convinced that sunken treasures were hidden beneath what was about to become three high-rise buildings, the amateur river detectives donned hard hats and persuaded a backhoe operator to let them onto the site.—
Kinsey Gidick,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Betrayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betrayed. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share