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
The film may initially present Man-su as a sympathetic family man trying to make ends meet, but Lee quickly subverts those sentiments once Man-su’s methodical process betrays no sense of remorse.
—
Los Angeles Times, 6 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
Sandbags still line the outside of the building and a new lobby betrays the destruction of both flood and smoke.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 28 Dec. 2025
In season 2, things between the couple start off rocky, after James betrays Ruby following his mother's death, and the first few episodes of the season were particularly intense to film.
—Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 22 Nov. 2025
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
Los Angeles Times, 6 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
Sandbags still line the outside of the building and a new lobby betrays the destruction of both flood and smoke.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 28 Dec. 2025
In season 2, things between the couple start off rocky, after James betrays Ruby following his mother's death, and the first few episodes of the season were particularly intense to film.
—Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 22 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betrays
Verb
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Reader's Digest singled out Arizona's portion of Route 66 for travelers looking for shorter trips along the route, which spans 2,448 miles and crosses eight states.—
Michael Salerno,
AZCentral.com,
6 Jan. 2026
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Working as a security guard in downtown Cairo, his path crosses that of young Muslim woman.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When a Black teenager is executed by police on Juneteenth and no evidence remains to contest the official account, CYCLE reveals the widening rift between what the system claims and what a mother’s relentless pursuit of truth exposes.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
6 Jan. 2026
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From trad wives to spin classes to caregiving, Smithuijsen reveals how late stage capitalism strips women of agency and traps them in endless cycles of empty consumption and thankless labor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
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
-
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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Apple AirTags are essentially mini GPS tracking devices that sync directly to your iPhone’s Find My app, which displays location info on your phone.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Jan. 2026
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There’s no denying who this Papier planner belongs to—the customizable monogram tastefully displays your initials, embossed with gold foil.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
6 Jan. 2026
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
-
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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Dak Brinkley shows pass rushing ability KU freshman defensive end Dak Brinkley recorded the first two sacks of his college career on back-to-back plays in the second quarter.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
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The atlas shows routes spanning from Spain to Syria, connecting more than 5,000 ancient settlements.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Blending fun and function in consumer robotics Baby FuFu demonstrates a wider trend in consumer robotics, where usability and approachability take precedence over complexity.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Jan. 2026
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Duwaji demonstrates that style can be commentary, an extension of thought, and a deliberate act of agency.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Betrays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betrays. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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