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treacherously

treacherously

1 7.6
To break someone's trust by betraying them
  • adverb
  • /ˈtrɛtʃərəsli/
translation icon : traidoramente
  • The canopy over the catered food sways treacherously; the caterers wag their disapproving heads.
  • deal treacherously

Examples

  • They are also worried about an economy that has come to seem treacherously unstable; a popular culture that assaults the souls of their children; schools and neighborhoods drained of respect and order; and, particularly in cities and densely packed suburbs, a degraded moral and physical environment.

    Academic text (2009)
  • They simply don't care whether Jim acted treacherously or only, as was the case, too trustingly.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Linda found her body already beginning to yield treacherously to the beat of the music.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • It's being run by fear... fear that would make a man sacrifice his own son... in order to treacherously poison his friends.

  • Some of the quagmires developed into large floating landscapes, treacherously deceptive with their tangled illusion of solidity and permanence.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Eventually, we made our way out of the miserable alder maze and onto a long, wide gravel bar that extended for a half-mile upstream, splitting the mighty current into smaller channels, some of which were treacherously deep.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Despite promises of partnership and integration, NATO treacherously reneged on its promise not to move eastward in a cynical effort to camouflage and remedy a crisis within the European project itself, thereby revealing the EU as a paper tiger.

    Academic text (2015)
  • They treacherously betrayed their friend's trust by spreading rumors behind her back.

  • The soldier acted treacherously, revealing secrets to the enemy camp.

  • She treacherously abandoned her long-time partner for someone else.

Synonyms

unfaithfully
vstreacherously
1 5.0

In a way that shows no loyalty and breaks promises

covers general betrayal but stresses disloyalty rather than unreliability
perfidiously
vstreacherously
  • Formal
9.9

In a dishonest way that betrays trust

is a general form of betraying trust without implying deceit
traitorously
vstreacherously
9.2

In a way that is not loyal and harms people who trust you

focuses on betrayal generally rather than specific allegiance to a country
disloyally
vstreacherously
6.0

In a way that does not support someone who trusts you

is about betraying trust or being unfaithful rather than just missing loyalty
faithlessly
vstreacherously
7.4

In a way that breaks someone's trust

describes betrayal broadly, not limited to personal relationships
treasonably
vstreacherously
  • Formal
9.9

In a way that betrays your country or its government

is broader, applying to betrayal of trust in any context not only allegiance
treasonously
vstreacherously
  • Formal
9.4

In a way that betrays a country or its government

refers to disloyalty in general situations rather than only political betrayal

Antonyms

54 2.6

In a loyal, reliable, or exact way

7 2.5

In a way that shows strong support for someone or something

How Treacherous

treacherously
1 7.6
deceitfully
1 6.3

Surface Forms

treacherously positive

Morphology

treacherously = treacherous (transparent) = treacher + ly

The word 'treacherously' is transparently formed from 'treacherous' by adding the adverbial suffix '-ly'.

Etymology

Treacherously comes from the older word treachery, which meant 'betrayal' or 'cheating' and is like playing a 'trick' on someone. So, to act treacherously is to betray someone's 'trust'.