Definition of fealtynext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fealty distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of fealty are allegiance, devotion, fidelity, loyalty, and piety. While all these words mean "faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty," fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow.

fealty to the truth

Where would allegiance be a reasonable alternative to fealty?

While the synonyms allegiance and fealty are close in meaning, allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country.

pledging allegiance

In what contexts can devotion take the place of fealty?

The meanings of devotion and fealty largely overlap; however, devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication.

a painter's devotion to her art

When could fidelity be used to replace fealty?

While in some cases nearly identical to fealty, fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty.

marital fidelity

When would loyalty be a good substitute for fealty?

The words loyalty and fealty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray.

valued the loyalty of his friends

When might piety be a better fit than fealty?

The synonyms piety and fealty are sometimes interchangeable, but piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental.

filial piety

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 fealty Rhaenyra’s men come later that night and demand Aegon and Tyland declare their fealty. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Then there is one overriding factor in the current political climate — a GOP that pays fealty to a president with little support among residents in the state’s most populous counties. Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026 After falsely bending the knee to Daemon (Matt Smith), pretending to swear fealty to Rhaenyra, and handing over a decoy Daeron, Ormund decamped with his army to the unfortified market town of Tumbleton. Megan McCluskey, Time, 20 July 2026 Here, though, there is little reason to believe that a Senate vote will alter Trump’s demands for absolute fealty from the Justice Department. Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fealty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fealty
Noun
  • According to them, Trump’s policies on tariffs, aid, and allies have eroded the United States’ standing, opening the door for people across the world to switch their allegiance to China.
    Adam Y. Liu, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Before Haakon's pledge of allegiance, the palace said that Mette-Marit wasn't going to the ceremony.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Doing so required a heavy dose of grit with a side of loyalty, exactly how his late father, his mother and all those people in Timber Lake taught him to live.
    Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Rather than directly monetizing the platform, Nvidia can deepen developer loyalty, make its hardware and software a natural choice for deploying AI models, and keep a strategic asset out of competitors' hands.
    Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The collaboration reflects both companies’ commitment to developing sovereign defence capabilities in India through technology transfer, local value creation and skill development.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Even those inside Newcastle United were questioning the commitment and focus of some of their star players last season, when a staggering 27 points were dropped from winning positions.
    Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • For all his disparate pursuits, Elsesser revels in the small details, incapable of giving anything less than total dedication.
    Jeff Weiss, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Before dismissing the jury, Sullivan thanked them for their dedication throughout the nearly six-week trial.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The British media devoured the story, as even then Day-Lewis was synonymous with intense devotion to his craft.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026
  • As Anna covers for Fyodor’s addiction and increasingly unstable professional behavior, her devotion starts to look poisonous for them both.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Labor Day Headphones Deals Apple’s AirPods Max 2 deliver an exceptional combination of high-fidelity acoustics and pro-grade active noise cancellation.
    Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The technology has evolved so much in terms of the visual fidelity, filmmaker control, the ability to generate audio, and the length of a film that is possible.
    Brian Welk, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fealty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fealty. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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