1
as in crosses
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 reveals
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 tempts
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
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Recent Examples of betrays
This betrays everything America stands for.
—
Grace Meng, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Greenblatt’s myth of a Romantic Marlowe almost singlehandedly pushing England into the Renaissance betrays the principles of New Historicism by shortchanging the roles of so many other key players.
—Isaac Butler, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025
Parisian purists say the move betrays the artistry and craftsmanship of France’s tradition of couture.
—NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Interventionist industrial policy betrays that legacy.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
This must’ve been a dream for someone whose personal style—if not his work—betrays the longing of a hippie born too late (in 1967), and in the wrong place to have been part of the vanguard of the first peace and love trippers.
—Sarah Mower, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2025
Taylor owns the first third of the film with a righteous fury that only betrays an inner vulnerability at the most crucial moments.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Netflix After Jake betrays Vince by tricking him into revealing his whereabouts to Mancuso and his lackey Babbitt (Chris Coy) to protect Vince's daughter Gen (Odessa Young) and get her to safety, Jake rushes to help Vince once again escape a vengeful Mancuso's clutches.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
Surely, the look suggests, my choice betrays a Freudian complex best left uninterrogated.
—Sam Sussman
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
Grace Meng, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Greenblatt’s myth of a Romantic Marlowe almost singlehandedly pushing England into the Renaissance betrays the principles of New Historicism by shortchanging the roles of so many other key players.
—Isaac Butler, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025
Parisian purists say the move betrays the artistry and craftsmanship of France’s tradition of couture.
—NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Interventionist industrial policy betrays that legacy.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
This must’ve been a dream for someone whose personal style—if not his work—betrays the longing of a hippie born too late (in 1967), and in the wrong place to have been part of the vanguard of the first peace and love trippers.
—Sarah Mower, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2025
Taylor owns the first third of the film with a righteous fury that only betrays an inner vulnerability at the most crucial moments.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Netflix After Jake betrays Vince by tricking him into revealing his whereabouts to Mancuso and his lackey Babbitt (Chris Coy) to protect Vince's daughter Gen (Odessa Young) and get her to safety, Jake rushes to help Vince once again escape a vengeful Mancuso's clutches.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
Surely, the look suggests, my choice betrays a Freudian complex best left uninterrogated.
—Sam Sussman
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betrays
Verb
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Tariffs are taxes paid by an importer when a good crosses a border.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The central pressure of the storm must be at or below 900 millibars as its makes landfall and crosses the island nation.—
Dawn Giel,Contessa Brewer,
CNBC,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But whether Vanity Fair can strike a balance between meaningful journalism that reveals the inner workings of power — while also convincing the powerful to pose for its covers and attend its Hollywood events — remains an open question.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
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That’s because the third act reveals that Teddy was right all along, and Michelle is an alien.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Unwind Along the Coast Zanzibar, a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa, tempts with spice tours, rooftop cocktails, and sunset dhow sails.—
Karin Jones,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Sep. 2025
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The device contains, among other things, doorways to other dimensions, including one that tempts Peacemaker with a seemingly storybook version of his broken family.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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One rendition of the story even displays a little sympathy for the devil, as Jennings shares.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
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Martell’s group was the first Western delegation in years to visit the International Friendship Exhibition, a sprawling mountainside museum that displays gifts and artifacts from foreign dignitaries.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Everything about the scene seduces the viewer into what dining while traveling in the most luxurious fashion could be, and once was.—
Kristin L. Wolfe,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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In his youth, the blue-eyed Stamp was widely considered one of the most handsome men onscreen, and Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini used that to peculiar effect in Teorema (1968), casting the actor as a nameless and wordless visitor who seduces an entire household.—
Rhett Bartlett,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Air Mail’s fate shows that even the masters of the old form faced major headwinds when trying to navigate the new media landscape.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Video shows one agent restraining the man, then dragging him around as another agent helps pin him to the ground.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In the final confrontation, Tea persuades Miran to surrender, arguing that doing so will protect his family.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
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The poet titillates, commands by images—and only thus persuades.—
Elaine L. Wang
September 11,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Despite states’ commitments to protect the rights of journalists to carry out their work freely and safely, the lack of action by states demonstrates an alarming and deeply dangerous failure by the international community to uphold the rule of law when violations occur.—
Scott Griffen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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What’s next Our research demonstrates that policy-level solutions work.—
Anthony Bald,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Betrays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betrays. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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