betrayed

[bih-treyd]

adjective

1. delivered or exposed to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty.

   After being double-crossed by one of his own, the betrayed agent sought retribution against the intelligence service.

2. not guarded, maintained, or fulfilled faithfully.

   The political history of that nation is a painful one, full of betrayed promises and almost continuous war.

3. having one’s hopes or expectations disappointed, especially through abandonment or unfaithfulness.

   For a betrayed spouse, the affair can be the most devastating experience of a lifetime.

4. revealed or disclosed in violation of confidence.

   In the underground economy, a betrayed secret is lethal to any operation.

5. deceived, misguided, or seduced.

   I’m expecting a thunderous reaction from the betrayed public as the disastrous effects of these policies strike them personally.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of betray.

Other Word Forms

• unbetrayed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of betrayed¹

First recorded in 1605–15; betray ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; betray ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

The family have asked for a meeting with the first minister and have spoken of withdrawing from the public inquiry, saying they felt "totally betrayed" by the criminal justice system.

Read more on BBC

Webber said the SNP had "betrayed islanders and taxpayers at every turn" by leaving remote communities reliant on out-of-date vessels while "letting costs spiral out of control for hard-pressed Scots".

Read more on BBC

After Lord Bracadale's resignation earlier this week, the family said they felt "totally betrayed" by the criminal justice system.

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The definition of an elite education has been undergoing revision of late, as top universities from Harvard to Columbia to Northwestern have too often betrayed their commitment to free inquiry on campus.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

As she rearranges books in the town's brightly lit library, Jacqueline Garrahan says she feels betrayed by a president she believed would embody change.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• misled 
• tricked www.thesaurus.com