Definition of faithlessnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word faithless different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of faithless are disloyal, false, perfidious, traitorous, and treacherous. While all these words mean "untrue to what should command one's fidelity or allegiance," faithless applies to any failure to keep a promise or pledge or any breach of allegiance or loyalty.

faithless allies

When can disloyal be used instead of faithless?

The synonyms disloyal and faithless are sometimes interchangeable, but disloyal implies a lack of complete faithfulness to a friend, cause, leader, or country.

disloyal to their country

When could false be used to replace faithless?

In some situations, the words false and faithless are roughly equivalent. However, false stresses the fact of failing to be true in any manner ranging from fickleness to cold treachery.

betrayed by false friends

How do perfidious and faithless relate to one another?

Perfidious adds to faithless the implication of an incapacity for fidelity or reliability.

a perfidious double-crosser

When is traitorous a more appropriate choice than faithless?

While the synonyms traitorous and faithless are close in meaning, traitorous implies either actual treason or a serious betrayal of trust.

traitorous acts punishable by death

When might treacherous be a better fit than faithless?

The meanings of treacherous and faithless largely overlap; however, treacherous implies readiness to betray trust or confidence.

a treacherous adviser

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 faithless Consumed by rage and betrayal, Eleanor is driven to take a bloody, supernatural revenge upon her faithless husband. Robert Lang, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2025 Spouses, in this gritty Philadelphia suburb, are mostly faithless, absent or dead. Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025 Men are a structuring absence, as they are spoken of as faithless husbands, potential fiancés, feckless sons. John Bleasdale, Variety, 21 Nov. 2024 Don Cheadle and Benicio del Toro are both quite good as part of a team that’s tasked with stealing a secret document, setting the stage for a drama involving gangsters, faithless lovers, and white-collar crooks. Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 July 2021 See All Example Sentences for faithless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faithless
Adjective
  • Telemachus’ lone contribution is killing Melanthius, the traitorous Ithacan farmhand, thus preventing him from continuing to arm the suitors.
    Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • And at the very center of Hell is Satan himself, the traitorous Archangel Lucifer, depicted as a monstrous creature with wings and three heads.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 May 2026
Adjective
  • Solar use has surged in South Africa and Nigeria as households and businesses look for alternatives to unreliable state-run grids.
    Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Girls such as Zainab have been pushed out of the classroom entirely and left to depend on costly, unreliable alternatives.
    Fatima Faizi, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Along with the WiFi jammer, deputies said they were found to be in possession of false license plates and burglary tools.
    Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Many of these times, KFA employees allegedly filed false expense reports chalking up the charges to meals, drinks, or standard massages.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • When the braids had five or more strands, however, the disk possibilities proliferated, guaranteeing the matrices were all unfaithful.
    Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 24 July 2026
  • After so many years as the good guy, Klein is leaning into his dark side, taking on roles like the big bad Cicada on CW’s The Flash, and as JoAnna Garcia Swisher’s unfaithful ex-husband on the Netflix series Sweet Magnolias.
    Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 9 July 2026
Adjective
  • When planning paths and features, follow the contour of the slope rather than going straight up and down to slow water and create less treacherous access.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The Hand of the Queen will have a treacherous road ahead, especially with the increasingly dictatorial Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy), who was in no big rush to save Corlys from Ormund's clutches.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Faithless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faithless. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on faithless

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster