faithful

American  

[feyth-fuhl] / ˈfeɪθ fəl /

adjective

1. true to one's word, promises, vows, etc.

2. steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant.

   faithful friends.

   Synonyms:

   staunch, devoted, true

3. reliable, trusted, or believed.

4. strict or thorough in the performance of duty.

   a faithful worker.

5. adhering or true to fact, a standard, or an original; accurate.

   a faithful account;

   a faithful copy.

   Synonyms:

   exact, precise

6. Obsolete. full of faith; believing.

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noun

1. the faithful,

   1. the believers, especially members of a Christian church or adherents of Islam.

   2. the body of loyal members of any party or group.

faithful British  

/ ˈfeɪθfʊl /

adjective

1. having faith; remaining true, constant, or loyal

2. maintaining sexual loyalty to one's lover or spouse

3. consistently reliable

   a faithful worker

4. reliable or truthful

   a faithful source

5. accurate in detail

   a faithful translation

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noun

1. 1. the believers in and loyal adherents of a religious faith, esp Christianity

   2. any group of loyal and steadfast followers

Synonym Usage

Faithful, constant, loyal imply qualities of stability, dependability, and devotion. Faithful implies long-continued and steadfast fidelity to whatever one is bound to by a pledge, duty, or obligation: a faithful friend. Constant suggests firmness and steadfastness in attachment: a constant affection. Loyal implies unswerving allegiance to a person, organization, cause, or idea: loyal to one's associates, one's country.

Other Word Forms

• faithfully
  adverb
• faithfulness
  noun
• overfaithful
  adjective
• pseudofaithful
  adjective
• quasi-faithful
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of faithful

First recorded in 1375–1425; see origin at faith, -ful

Explanation

Faithful describes someone who is reliable and consistent. If you're a faithful volunteer at the animal shelter, you show up every Saturday and work hard to help the animals. A faithful friend is loyal and steadfast — it's no wonder that many people consider their dogs to be their most faithful companions. Though faithful usually describes a person, you can also use it to talk about a particularly reliable object, like your faithful hiking boots. There's another sense of faithful that means "remaining true to," like faithful believers who pray and attend religious services regularly.

Example Sentences

“The Faithful: Women of the Bible” airs at 8 p.m.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

"Faithful fans should expect an intense, joyful night out as we reveal a thrilling new hunting ground for our Traitors," he said.

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026

However, that also means that every Faithful banished by the majority vote of their peers takes a fall that could have eliminated a Traitor.

From Salon • Jan. 15, 2026

William Henry Jackson’s photos of scenic wonders like Yellowstone’s Old Faithful helped generate interest in a national park system.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

They went first to Trustworthy Bank, and then to Faithful Savings and Loan, and then to Subservient Financial Services, each time inquiring for Mr. Poe.

From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket

Related Words

• affectionate
• ardent
• conscientious
• dependable
• devoted
• dutiful
• hard-core
• honest
• honorable
• loving
• obedient
• patriotic
• resolute
• scrupulous
• sincere
• staunch
• steadfast
• true
• trustworthy
• trusty