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
Relevance
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
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 betrays
What has unfolded in Minneapolis this past month betrays our most basic values as Americans.
—
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Leavitt—who ran for Congress, in 2022, and lost—betrays no such struggle.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
Too often, set pieces and characters that should be crushing look like clutter, and even the sound design betrays a core misunderstanding of how horror movies fundamentally work.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
Ignoring the menace created by aggressive federal immigration enforcement in the United States betrays the very foundations of the Republican movement.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 21 Jan. 2026
Season three opens up the storylines of all of the characters and unveils the truth about each; everyone betrays and is betrayed.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Yet The Bone Temple both builds on the promise of the earlier movie and betrays it.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
McAdams, by contrast, makes a giddy racket that betrays feelings her characters can neither fully understand nor contain.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
In some instances, the show betrays a familiar upper-middle-class, blue-state gaze, depicting certain Americans as strangers to be managed, not people to be known.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Leavitt—who ran for Congress, in 2022, and lost—betrays no such struggle.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
Too often, set pieces and characters that should be crushing look like clutter, and even the sound design betrays a core misunderstanding of how horror movies fundamentally work.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
Ignoring the menace created by aggressive federal immigration enforcement in the United States betrays the very foundations of the Republican movement.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 21 Jan. 2026
Season three opens up the storylines of all of the characters and unveils the truth about each; everyone betrays and is betrayed.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Yet The Bone Temple both builds on the promise of the earlier movie and betrays it.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
McAdams, by contrast, makes a giddy racket that betrays feelings her characters can neither fully understand nor contain.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
In some instances, the show betrays a familiar upper-middle-class, blue-state gaze, depicting certain Americans as strangers to be managed, not people to be known.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betrays
Verb
-
But to enter the church, berate peaceful worshipers and scare children crosses a line.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Participants cross over to Miami Beach, and the route crosses the Rickenbacker Causeway and winds through neighborhoods in Brickell and Coconut Grove.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
An internal review reveals some funds were given to high-level administrators in bonuses.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Each seat has a lift-top design that reveals storage space for blankets, pillows, games, and other essentials.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
An untrustworthy future tempts us to either disengage, retreat into cynicism, or live angry.—
Phillip Halpern,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Jan. 2026
-
In Indiana, Paoli Peaks features the Arctic Blast Tubing Park, and Perfect North Slopes tempts with 25 tubing lanes (as well as skiing and snowboarding).—
Ginger Crichton,
Midwest Living,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The list below displays all public schools in alphabetical order, followed by private schools and then colleges and universities.—
Mike Toole,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Seeing the actress let her freak flag fly is a delight, and O’Brien, whose character also displays many facets, matches her step for step.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The victim of his sacrifice is Gretchen, a virgin whom Faust seduces and abandons in his devilish reverie, and who kills their illegitimate child.—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
-
The film follows the deliciously immoral, widowed Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale), who maneuvers, deceives and seduces her way through London and across her relatives' country estates in an effort to find a wealthy husband for herself and her daughter, Frederica (Morfydd Clark).—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
29 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Video shows Thompson walking down the sidewalk outside the hotel when a man approaches from behind and opens fire.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Hinton’s work shows how institutions—from urban police to public housing and segregated, underfunded schools—have, through their practices, entrenched a racially unjust status quo.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Capability alone no longer persuades buyers who now want proof of systems that work quietly in the background while results take the center stage.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Nuremberg explores how authoritarian regimes take over democracies — not by making a detailed intellectual case that persuades on its merits but by validating the power fantasies of those who feel shut out.—
Matt Zoller Seitz,
Vulture,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
End-to-end humanoid control Figure claims Helix 02 demonstrates a major step forward in humanoid autonomy by performing continuous, multi-minute tasks that require tight integration of locomotion, dexterity, and sensing.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Interestingly, a 2023 study from the Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens demonstrates that dolphins can remember others’ signature whistles even after long periods of separation.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Betrays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betrays. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
