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
But the plot also retains a serial quality that saps momentum and betrays its TV roots.
—
Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
Don’t skip eye cream The under-eye area is often the first place that betrays a late night or an early alarm.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
Sometimes a small chink in your camouflage betrays you to a wary tom.
—Bruce Brady, Outdoor Life, 8 Apr. 2026
After Sugar betrays her, Barbara cuts her friend off for decades, despite missing her deeply.
—Isle McElroy, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
But even this was a poor comparison for sumo’s place in the racial politics of Japan today; boxing, after all, was brought to America from England, while sumo, like Kabuki, is one of Japan’s few expressive institutions whose folklore betrays little trace of outside influence.
—Joshua Hunt, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Low-key and reserved on and off the course, the 23-year-old rarely betrays emotion.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
The silliness betrays the seriousness.
—J. Aaron Sanders, STAT, 4 Feb. 2026
What has unfolded in Minneapolis this past month betrays our most basic values as Americans.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
Don’t skip eye cream The under-eye area is often the first place that betrays a late night or an early alarm.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
Sometimes a small chink in your camouflage betrays you to a wary tom.
—Bruce Brady, Outdoor Life, 8 Apr. 2026
After Sugar betrays her, Barbara cuts her friend off for decades, despite missing her deeply.
—Isle McElroy, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
But even this was a poor comparison for sumo’s place in the racial politics of Japan today; boxing, after all, was brought to America from England, while sumo, like Kabuki, is one of Japan’s few expressive institutions whose folklore betrays little trace of outside influence.
—Joshua Hunt, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Low-key and reserved on and off the course, the 23-year-old rarely betrays emotion.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
The silliness betrays the seriousness.
—J. Aaron Sanders, STAT, 4 Feb. 2026
What has unfolded in Minneapolis this past month betrays our most basic values as Americans.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betrays
Verb
-
The film crosses sites where camps once stood, setting them against diaries, memoirs and letters by prisoners.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
11 May 2026
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If Taj Mahal crosses the line first, Brittany Russell will become the first female trainer to win the Preakness Stakes.—
Bennett Conlin,
Baltimore Sun,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Strout indicates that their potential will be fulfilled in short, jump-ahead passages — one of the passages reveals that Artie inspires an awkward girl named Rhonda to help other people by becoming a minister.—
Chris Hewitt,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
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For examples, the Navier-Stokes equations, which describe how fluids of all kinds move, have been successfully applied to both of these hazards, while the heat equation reveals how and when these volcanic fluids cool down.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Boxing tempts him, the business world motivates him and his role as a promoter excites him.—
Jorge Ebro
May 6,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
-
The casino now resides in many homes and daily tempts the occupants.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Two high-profile shows at the same time—and yet, her countenance displays no sign of exhaustion.—
Dennis Braatz,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 May 2026
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An operating license for a dilapidated Boba tea kiosk displays a 2024 expiration date.—
Audrey Pachuta,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Intrigued, the Duke secretly seduces Gilda, breaks her heart and destroys Rigoletto’s life.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
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In a recess behind the desk in Carnevali’s office a photo shows Squinzi and his wife Adriana Spazzoli holding the TIM Trophy at the Mapei in 2013.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
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Video of the incident shows the boy trying to scramble up the bank to safety as the beaver chases him before biting him on the thigh.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Whale lusts after a hunky gardener (Brendan Fraser) and persuades him to pose for a few sketches; Julian, though bisexual, expresses no such interest in Lori, and any art-making turns out to be a gratifyingly mutual endeavor.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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The confidence heuristic explains why certainty persuades us.—
Nick Dothée,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Trump has argued that last weekend’s shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner demonstrates why the ballroom is needed to hold safe, secure events for the president and other officials.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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The initiative not only strengthens Australia’s defence posture but also demonstrates the growing importance of advanced land systems in addressing the security challenges of the future.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Betrays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betrays. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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