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unfaithful

unfaithful

4 4.9
Acting in a way that betrays people who trust you
  • adjective
  • /ʌnˈfeɪθfəl/
translation icon : traidor
  • When I discovered he was unfaithful, I felt utterly betrayed and heartbroken.

Examples

  • But I'm just saying, you know he would sit in church and point out the husbands that were unfaithful, right?

  • I think the killer suffered the trauma of divorce as a kid, because his father was unfaithful.

  • Will you listen to a selfish, unfaithful son?

  • Did he have an unfaithful lover?

    Fiction book (1991)
  • In other words, don't marry a man who is unfaithful to God, unfaithful to his church, and unfaithful to you.

    Blog text (33)
  • Artie and Vangie did nothing that Luke could put his finger on as unfaithful.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Jrme is in love with Alissa, whom he has known since childhood, whose mother has been unfaithful.

    Academic text (1990)
  • In other words, don't ask the unfaithful for advice on fidelity or the bankrupt how to manage money.

    Blog text (33)
  • In the account of Friar Johannes, these "unfaithful friars" awaited a bad end.

    Academic text (2018)
  • She realized her unfaithful partner had been lying to her for months.

Synonyms

false
vsunfaithful
  • Offensive
89 2.9

Not loyal and betrays people who trust them

is mainly about betraying trust or loyalty rather than other meanings
deceitful
vsunfaithful
31 5.0

Acting in a dishonest way to make people believe something untrue

is about betraying trust or loyalty rather than general dishonesty
disloyal
vsunfaithful
30 4.2

Not supporting or being faithful to people you should support

is about betraying trust or loyalty in behavior rather than only failing to support
traitorous
vsunfaithful
18 8.3

Acting secretly to harm people who trust them

is broader and covers behaving in ways that betray trust or loyalty
faithless
vsunfaithful
12 5.6

Not loyal and likely to betray people who trust them

is about being likely to betray rather than a single act of betrayal
untrue
vsunfaithful
5 3.4

Not loyal to a person you trust

is the general word for behaving in ways that betray trust or loyalty
perfidious
vsunfaithful
  • Formal
3 9.2

Likely to betray someone's trust by lying or cheating

is about betrayal of trust or loyalty rather than specific deceit
falsehearted
vsunfaithful
  • Offensive
8.0

A person who is not loyal or honest and who breaks trust

is about betrayal of trust or loyalty rather than mere insincerity
cheating
vsunfaithful
  • NSFW
3.5

Not faithful to a partner by having a romantic or sexual relationship with someone else

is a general term for betraying trust or loyalty across contexts

Antonyms

358 2.7

Able to be trusted to do what is expected

88 2.1

A person or thing you can depend on to be honest

How Disloyal

traitorous
18 8.3
treacherous
38 7.1
unfaithful
4 4.9
disloyal
30 4.2
untrustworthy
21 4.8

Surface Forms

unfaithful positive

Morphology

unfaithful = faithful (transparent) = un + faith + ful

Productive negation by 'un-' on 'faithful' meaning 'not loyal'; the sense 'betrays trust' is a direct instantiation of 'not faithful'.

Etymology

Unfaithful comes from un- 'not' and faith 'trust' or 'loyalty', like the word faithful. That's why someone who behaves unfaithful is seen as betraying the trust of others.