1
as in infidelity
lack of faithfulness especially to one's husband or wife
his wife's perfidy was a moment of uncharacteristic weakness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in treachery
the act or fact of violating the trust or confidence of another
the full cost—both in compromised intelligence and in human life—of the double agent's perfidy is not yet known
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perfidy
Despite high trade deficits, the U.S. economy is strong
Trump and his advisers point to America’s lopsided trade numbers—year after year of huge deficits—as proof of foreigners’ perfidy.
—
Time, 9 Apr. 2025
Jane’s fiercely unforgiving tone was adopted by militant Irish nationalists for whom the famine stood as the ultimate proof of English perfidy.
—Fintan O'Toole, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
But what Neil is accused of is something well beyond cunning or perfidy or faithlessness, well beyond questionable morality.
—Mikal Gilmore, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2025
Those intrepid few who still clung to the belief that American perfidy shielded Duke’s players from true justice just had the rug pulled out from under them by Mangum herself.
—The Editors, National Review, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for perfidy
Time, 9 Apr. 2025
Jane’s fiercely unforgiving tone was adopted by militant Irish nationalists for whom the famine stood as the ultimate proof of English perfidy.
—Fintan O'Toole, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
But what Neil is accused of is something well beyond cunning or perfidy or faithlessness, well beyond questionable morality.
—Mikal Gilmore, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2025
Those intrepid few who still clung to the belief that American perfidy shielded Duke’s players from true justice just had the rug pulled out from under them by Mangum herself.
—The Editors, National Review, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for perfidy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perfidy
Noun
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Allen, 40, accused her ex-husband of infidelity in various capacities on the 14-track album.—
Lex Goldstein,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
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The film centers on Smita, a small-town housewife whose seemingly ordinary life unravels into a narrative exploring infidelity, deceit and moral ambiguity.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Tarabay leads the cast as the titular Ashur, now thriving after his treachery.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Nov. 2025
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And when the surviving crew interrogates the android Ash about his treachery, the book has him pretty much spill the space beans.—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Bianca filed for divorce on the grounds of adultery in 1978, a year after Mick started seeing model Jerry Hall.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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As China’s economy has grown, so too has its incidence of adultery.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The former activity can be useful; the latter is a clear betrayal.—
Damon Beres,
The Atlantic,
5 Nov. 2025
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Over the course of eight episodes, the show traces how mounting pressures, deceit and betrayal led to patriarch Alex Murdaugh murdering his wife, Maggie, and their son, Paul, in 2021.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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That shift—from policy disagreement to accusations of disloyalty—is not accidental.—
Faisal Kutty,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
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Continue reading … 'DISAPPOINTED' – Biden's son slams Harris memoir for disloyalty to father's administration.—
,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Its leader Tundu Lissu has been detained on charges of treason after Hassan’s government accused him of planning to disrupt the October 29 election.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
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The country's largest opposition party Chadema was banned from contesting the elections and its leader Tundu Lissu is currently on trial on treason charges.—
Kate Bartlett,
NPR,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perfidy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perfidy. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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