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

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

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

But instead they ramped it back up for one last cathartic blast to close, sending their faithful out onto Hollywood Boulevard, sweaty and filthy and fundamentally known.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026

As a faithful Catholic, I hope Pope Leo’s next encyclical restores the balance that befits such important moral documents.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

Crowds lined the streets crying out "Long live the pope!" as Leo saluted the faithful from his popemobile before the mass.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

And in Budapest, before their win over Arsenal, a giant banner showing Luis Enrique lifting the famous trophy was displayed among the French faithful.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

As with his food, my father is faithful to his wardrobe.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Related Words

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