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
  • Robots fix memories MIT researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence system that allows robots to identify, evaluate, and correct unreliable descriptions of objects stored in their memory.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Kohler is the text—to even classify him as an ‘unreliable narrator’ would be senseless, as there is no external truth to judge him against.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • Black asserts that the statements made by Garcia are false and that traveling to appear on national television to make such statements about the inquiry into Epstein’s crimes goes beyond the purview of a member of Congress.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The hotel had something of a false, albeit star-studded, start, opening for just one night in April 2020 (with first guests including stellar artists Hiroshi Sugimoto and Takashi Murakami), before it was closed by the pandemic.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • The pair broke up in February 2007 after Russell was unfaithful.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The singer gets back behind the wheel of the gold Trans Am an unfaithful friend stole from her all those years ago and revs up for a nuclear night out.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Adapting to these changes while navigating generational turnover can be treacherous.
    — Will Hausberg, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Without that or a cord to stop you from picking up debris in hard-to-reach places, vacuuming won’t seem like such a treacherous chore with the V9 Motorbar.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Faithless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faithless. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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