betrayal

[ bih-trey-uhl ]

noun

1. the act of exposing or delivering someone to an enemy through treachery or disloyalty:

   This security leak was an inexcusable betrayal of an ally whose very existence is now threatened.

2. the act of disappointing a person’s trust, hopes, or expectations:

   Imagine what a betrayal it is each time a rape victim finds out that her fellow citizens, and our legal system, are just not there for her.

3. the act of revealing information in violation of confidence:

   The library, which carried books criticizing the regime, was kept in private homes and frequently had to be moved to avoid betrayal of its secret to the local authorities.

4. failure to keep or honor a promise, principle, cherished memory, etc.:

   Many of his constituents are unhappy with his promotion of new mining and logging initiatives, seeing it as a betrayal of his green ideals.

5. an act or instance of unconsciously revealing or displaying some quality or characteristic, typically one preferably concealed:

   A slight tremor in her hand was the only betrayal of her fear.

Other Words From

• pre·be·tray·al noun
• self-be·tray·al noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of betrayal¹

betray ( def ) + -al ²( def )

Example Sentences

Betrayal…you can hear it…betraying the thing he loves for a cheap bit of film publicity.

From The Daily Beast

And their suspicions make them see betrayal at every turn, even when incompetence may be the cause of a particular problem.

From The Daily Beast

We all felt the betrayal not so much of the institution as of the man who had noisily and heroically put it on the map.

From The Daily Beast

To a certain degree, there is an irrational sense of betrayal.

From The Daily Beast

The worldwide panic over her new look is rooted in a sense of betrayal to the "be yourself" values that Bridget Jones embodied.

From The Daily Beast

Such a betrayal led him upon the following day to send a note to Mrs. Chepstow, asking for an appointment.

From Project Gutenberg

And the surgeon looked at him; but there rose up in his remembrance how he had been avoiding betrayal for years.

From Project Gutenberg

Then, regretting the betrayal of his feelings, the young man relapsed into gloomy silence.

From Project Gutenberg

These people received Mosby's men into their houses as their guests, and neither danger nor want could tempt their betrayal.

From Project Gutenberg

He was much rather inclined to think with Lucien Bruslart that Latour had had a part in her betrayal.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• deception
• dishonesty
• sellout
• treachery
• treason