betrayal

American  

[bih-trey-uhl] / bɪˈtreɪ əl /

noun

• betrayals
  plural

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.

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Usage

What does betrayal mean? Betrayal is when someone you trust breaks that trust by doing something that hurts you. This can take many forms, such as a soldier working with the enemy, one family member stealing from another, or a friend spreading rumors about another friend. Betrayal is the noun form of the verb betray, which means to be disloyal or traitorous. A specific act of disloyalty is a betrayal, as in The businessman never forgave his partner’s betrayal of joining his hated rival’s company. Betrayal is also used to describe how you reveal something unconsciously, like how a blush betrays embarrassment. An act is only considered a betrayal if it violates an existing trust. The word typically implies a serious violation of trust that causes serious harm. Example: The knights’ betrayal of their king helped the invaders win the war.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prebetrayal
  noun
• self-betrayal
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• betrayals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of betrayal

betray ( def. ) + -al ² ( def. )

Explanation

Betrayal means "an act of deliberate disloyalty," like when your friend told other people all your secrets. What a betrayal! Betrayal's root is betray, which comes from the Middle English word bitrayen — meaning "mislead, deceive." Betrayal has to do with destroying someone's trust, possibly by lying. If you start dating your best friend's girlfriend behind his back, that's an act of betrayal. Betrayal can also mean "helping an enemy," such as a person who gives secret information to a country that is at war with his or her own.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

betrayal betrayals

The judge added: "It constituted an appalling betrayal of trust."

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

She thought it would unite the right, but Albertans saw it as a betrayal, and she later called it a “devastating personal failure.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

The airport sandwich represents the betrayal of that promise.

From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026

The case, known here as the divorce of the century, has mesmerized South Koreans—a real-life K-drama of money, romance, corruption and betrayal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

And between the good and the bad there were others, moments colored not so much by fear or danger but by tiny heartbreaks, thimblefuls of betrayal.

From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez

There is no overt action, no crime, no betrayals, at least not in the moment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

"It's still not really clear what happened...What is clear is that there were many betrayals," he added -- pointing to implausible failures in Maduro's defenses.

From Barron's ● Jan. 10, 2026

The consumer critique of “Spent” is one that punches primarily sideways, highlighting how readily Alison betrays her own high ethical and political standards and how reflexively she uses an intellectual gloss to rationalize the betrayals.

From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2025

Fire victims on Thursday described the rate hike request as the latest in State Farm’s series of betrayals.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2025

The Negroes have suffered too long from betrayals and in Malcolm they sensed a man of mission.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

Related Words

• deception
• dishonesty
• sellout
• treachery
• treason