loyalty

[loi-uhl-tee]

noun

plural

loyalties 

1. the state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations.

2. faithful adherence to a sovereign, government, leader, cause, etc.

   Synonyms: constancy, devotion, fealty

3. an example or instance of faithfulness, adherence, or the like.

   a man with fierce loyalties.

loyalty

/ ˈlɔɪəltɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being loyal

2. (often plural) a feeling of allegiance

Other Word Forms

• nonloyalty noun
• overloyalty noun
• unloyalty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of loyalty¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English loialte, from Middle French. See loyal, -ty ²

Synonym Study

Loyalty, allegiance, fidelity all imply a sense of duty or of devoted attachment to something or someone. Loyalty connotes sentiment and the feeling of devotion that one holds for one's country, creed, family, friends, etc. Allegiance applies particularly to a citizen's duty to their country, or, by extension, one's obligation to support a party, cause, leader, etc. Fidelity implies unwavering devotion and allegiance to a person, principle, etc

Example Sentences

Recent layoffs have reinforced beliefs among many young people that loyalty to a company won’t be returned.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Are there restaurants that maintain your loyalty even when prices go up?

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One police officer, Evelyn Tardiff, has long served as a double agent within the mobster’s circle, and Armand has grown unsure of her loyalties, fearing that “he no longer knew whose side she was on.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

For that, companies will need to deliver on user experience and build brand loyalty.

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Tuchel, big on loyalty and reward for performances, resisted the temptation to instantly restore Bellingham to the side, keeping faith with Rogers after his impressive work in his absence.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• adherence 
• allegiance 
• devotion 
• faith 
• fealty 
• fidelity 
• honesty 
• honor 
• integrity 
• obedience 
• patriotism 
• reliability 
• sincerity 
• support 
• tie 
• trustworthiness