faithful 1 of 2

Definition of faithfulnext

faithful

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word faithful distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of faithful are constant, loyal, resolute, staunch, and steadfast. While all these words mean "firm in adherence to whatever one owes allegiance," faithful implies unswerving adherence to a person or thing or to the oath or promise by which a tie was contracted.

faithful to her promise

When might constant be a better fit than faithful?

The words constant and faithful can be used in similar contexts, but constant stresses continuing firmness of emotional attachment without necessarily implying strict obedience to promises or vows.

constant friends

When would loyal be a good substitute for faithful?

While the synonyms loyal and faithful are close in meaning, loyal implies a firm resistance to any temptation to desert or betray.

remained loyal to the czar

When is it sensible to use resolute instead of faithful?

Although the words resolute and faithful have much in common, resolute implies firm determination to adhere to a cause or purpose.

a resolute ally

When can staunch be used instead of faithful?

The synonyms staunch and faithful are sometimes interchangeable, but staunch suggests fortitude and resolution in adherence and imperviousness to influences that would weaken it.

a staunch defender of free speech

When could steadfast be used to replace faithful?

The meanings of steadfast and faithful largely overlap; however, steadfast implies a steady and unwavering course in love, allegiance, or conviction.

steadfast in their support

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 faithful
Adjective
So far, the first season has been a faithful adaptation of the books. Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 26 Dec. 2025 Check out the book to see just how many lines from your favorite film are pulled from the original text — The Muppet Christmas Carol is shockingly faithful! Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025
Noun
The eight-year veteran QB was serenaded with MVP chants from the Bucs faithful in attendance. Ben Morse, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025 The upcoming stretch of Southeastern Conference games could be brutal for the Hog faithful. Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for faithful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faithful
Adjective
  • But beyond his professional accomplishments, Andy was a special person and a dear and loyal friend.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026
  • The last time a president leaned on a loyal Fed chair to juice the economy with lower rates, the results were ugly.
    Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Mostly, though, Boland strangles batters with his suffocating and deadly-accurate line and length.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Comedians can sometimes be eerily accurate in the way their jokes predict the future.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The building was then set to become a cooperative with the families as owners of actual homes — not just the promise of one.
    Clio Chang, Curbed, 9 Jan. 2026
  • The cooperative also offers deals and savings exclusive to owners, who pay $200 for a share in the store.
    Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Nicolás Maduro, a former bus driver elevated by Chávez as a loyalist rather than a statesman, inherited not only power but a collapsing system.
    Duncan S. DeMarsh, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The development appears to have infuriated the center’s interim president, MAGA loyalist Richard Grenell.
    Brian Niemietz, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • What alerted them to her location wasn’t footprints or a cell phone ping, however, but rather the sounds of her steadfast pup, Cami.
    Outside, Outside, 6 Jan. 2026
  • The year-on-year increases at each major are more modest, usually between 10 and 12 percent, but that percentage of tournament revenue remains steadfast, if not entirely immovable.
    Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • This is especially true for plants that are marginally hardy in your area, as well as common perennials like woodland phlox, lamb’s ear, and hardy geraniums.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Fellow true freshman Joshua Moore should be in line for a bigger role next season as well.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • La Roche-Guyon Known for its handsome château, this commune of less than 500 people is set along the Seine about an hour's drive northwest of Paris.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Citizens commune not just with deceased relatives but with the undifferentiated mass of anonymous dead.
    Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Earlier this year, the Israeli military retrieved the body of another soldier who was killed in the 2014 war.
    Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Just off the Gregory House, a trail leads to the Hammock Landing Battery, where Confederate soldiers guarded the river from attack, protecting their manufacturing hub in Columbus, Georgia.
    Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Faithful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faithful. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

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