1
as in crossing
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in revealing
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 seducing
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of betraying
To be fair, Titus betraying his sister does ultimately lead to his downfall, even if Ursula isn’t around to see it.
—
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Stories of families who changed continents, leaving one life and opening another, without betraying their identity.
—Nicola Bambini, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
Rob Rausch, the Season 4 winner of The Traitors, followed through on his promise to buy Maura Higgins a Hermès Birkin bag after betraying her on the show — and the behind-the-scenes story involves Lisa Rinna and podcast host Jake Shane.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Al Olszewski, a former state senator who is running for Zinke's seat, accused both Daines and Zinke of betraying the people of Montana and urged voters to reject their handpicked successors.
—Matthew Brown The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026
Al Olszewski, a former state senator who is running for Zinke’s seat, accused Daines and Zinke of betraying the people of Montana and urged voters to reject their handpicked successors.
—Matthew Brown, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Good, like Liuzzo, was also derided as a race traitor, somehow betraying white Americans by supporting nonwhites.
—Aniko Bodroghkozy, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2026
Its accounts of outsize personalities, judges’ infighting, culturally insensitive photo shoots, manipulative producing, network executives betraying producers who in turn betrayed talent—all of this comes standard with tales from the annals of the entertainment industry.
—Judy Berman, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
The increasing integration of blockchain and the finance industry raises uncomfortable questions of whether crypto is betraying its founding ideals, which saw Bitcoin as a rebellion against the big bank and government control of the financial system.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Stories of families who changed continents, leaving one life and opening another, without betraying their identity.
—Nicola Bambini, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
Rob Rausch, the Season 4 winner of The Traitors, followed through on his promise to buy Maura Higgins a Hermès Birkin bag after betraying her on the show — and the behind-the-scenes story involves Lisa Rinna and podcast host Jake Shane.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Al Olszewski, a former state senator who is running for Zinke's seat, accused both Daines and Zinke of betraying the people of Montana and urged voters to reject their handpicked successors.
—Matthew Brown The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026
Al Olszewski, a former state senator who is running for Zinke’s seat, accused Daines and Zinke of betraying the people of Montana and urged voters to reject their handpicked successors.
—Matthew Brown, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Good, like Liuzzo, was also derided as a race traitor, somehow betraying white Americans by supporting nonwhites.
—Aniko Bodroghkozy, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2026
Its accounts of outsize personalities, judges’ infighting, culturally insensitive photo shoots, manipulative producing, network executives betraying producers who in turn betrayed talent—all of this comes standard with tales from the annals of the entertainment industry.
—Judy Berman, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
The increasing integration of blockchain and the finance industry raises uncomfortable questions of whether crypto is betraying its founding ideals, which saw Bitcoin as a rebellion against the big bank and government control of the financial system.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betraying
Verb
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Back in 2017, as FIU expanded, many students were crossing Southwest Eighth Street to get to and from campus.—
Johane Saintil,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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The Strait of Hormuz, on the other hand, is a natural waterway, and Tehran essentially wants to charge ships for the privilege of crossing it without being bombed.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Country Music Hall of Fame announced its newest inductees in a media event Friday morning in the museum’s rotunda, revealing Tim McGraw, Paul Overstreet and the Stanley Brothers as the hall’s class of 2026.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
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That clash surfaced online this week when White House AI czar and venture capitalist David Sacks shared a critical essay about Humans First and Elon Musk echoed it, revealing how even a nascent group hosting small gatherings can become a new front in the AI power struggle.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On the left, he’s heralded as the only voice capable of seducing young men disaffected by party politics.—
Abigail Sylvor Greenberg,
Vanity Fair,
20 Mar. 2026
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One of her alternate personalities — the cold and calculating Samantha — joins law enforcement to pursue her father’s killers, while other identities begin to surface with their own motives, seducing and manipulating powerful men as Sylvia’s search for justice veers into vengeance.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fans cheered as a drone show displaying the seven band members’ faces lit up the sky over the Han River.—
Michelle Ye Hee Lee,
Washington Post,
21 Mar. 2026
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Judge Brooks' ruling prevents six school districts in western Arkansas from displaying the Big Ten, a requirement under Act 573, passed during the 2025 legislative session.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Too rich for my blood, but tempting nonetheless.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Mar. 2026
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Most emigrants left from Sicily, where enterprising local authorities have tried to redress the balance by tempting back Italian descendants from abroad.—
Julia Buckley,
CNN Money,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Yeah, neurodivergence is continually being misunderstood and judged on the outside without ever showing anything on the inside.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
20 Mar. 2026
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Slopes that were once blanketed in deep snow are now showing large patches of bare ground, with only limited terrain still skiable.—
Conor McGill,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Movie production in Los Angeles has steadily decreased in the years since, as other cities and states began luring studios with large tax incentives.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
19 Mar. 2026
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And while Sarasota used to have a reputation for only attracting retirees, the city’s Rosemary District has been luring young professionals with a slew of new apartment buildings.—
Amelia Mularz,
Architectural Digest,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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No student in German can graduate without demonstrating a detailed knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust.—
Terry Gross,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026
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Institutions that once at least feigned being an ally are now demonstrating the opposite.—
Ron Stodghill,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Betraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betraying. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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