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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of betrays
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
Such a blatant falsehood making it to the press conference betrays the fact that there is no limit to how false something has to be in order for this administration to resist propagating it.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 25 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
China consistently betrays these principles, of course.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Surely, the look suggests, my choice betrays a Freudian complex best left uninterrogated.
—Sam Sussman
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
At under $16, toss it in your bag now and thank yourself the next time your battery betrays you.
—PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
On cosmic scales, dark matter betrays its presence via its gravity.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 11 Sep. 2025
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
Such a blatant falsehood making it to the press conference betrays the fact that there is no limit to how false something has to be in order for this administration to resist propagating it.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 25 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
China consistently betrays these principles, of course.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Surely, the look suggests, my choice betrays a Freudian complex best left uninterrogated.
—Sam Sussman
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
At under $16, toss it in your bag now and thank yourself the next time your battery betrays you.
—PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
On cosmic scales, dark matter betrays its presence via its gravity.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betrays
Verb
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Chosen by Fortune editors for their measurable impact, strategy reach, and capacity to shape the future, MPW Asia 2025 includes founders, CEOs, and other C-suite leaders whose influence crosses borders and industries.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
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The trail quickly crosses the lush riparian meander of Christopher Creek.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Environmental Working Group (EWG)'s Tap Water Database reveals the states with the highest numbers of contaminants across their drinking water systems, with some states having more than 150 contaminants in the water residents consume.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Feasibility under scrutiny Apart from the light pollution concerns, the physics of reflecting sunlight from orbit reveals major challenges to Reflect Orbital’s plan.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Oct. 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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Users typed a url in the navigation bar, or typed a search query in that same space—a feature that Opera first pioneered but which was soon copied by Google—and the browser takes the user to that web address or a search results page, which displays a list of links.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
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Each set of hands displays a different time zone, with the gold hands indicating sidereal time and the blue hands showing a standard 24-hour day.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
10 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
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The invoice for the drones shows a discount of $314,266.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Oct. 2025
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From tackling housing crises on Earth to building shelters on the moon, Charlotte shows how robotics and 3D printing can work together to solve real problems.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The poet titillates, commands by images—and only thus persuades.—
Elaine L. Wang
September 11,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
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Cherry persuades Harriet to publicly expose Laura, to talk to journalists and manufacture a viral story.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The scene demonstrates Courtney’s capacious approach to metaphor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
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The Sierra Club’s report demonstrates that state and federal desires to keep the coal industry afloat is reflected in local utility decision making.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Betrays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betrays. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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