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 Words From

• un·be·trayed 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

Sometimes he betrayed both sides to stay faithful to himself.

From Washington Post

Three days after Thanksgiving, filmmaker Laura Poitras received a blandly chipper text signaling the end of her time with the media organization she co-founded and which she now says has betrayed its mission.

From Washington Post

In other words, it is not your body betraying you to the point that it’s denying you your ability to do what you desperately need, and not responding to efforts to fix the problem, and with no end in sight.

From Washington Post

It is not clear whether this trait is part of his normal genetic heritage or whether it betrays awareness of being special.

From Washington Post

A Capitol officer who was present during the attack said the rank-and-file of the department feel demoralized and betrayed by leadership.

From Washington Post

A young novelist dies, the American military is betrayed and James Patterson is profiled.

From The Daily Beast

The reversal shocked those who felt betrayed by the scientists, and who yelled “shame, shame” when the scientists were free.

From The Daily Beast

I had to file for bankruptsy [sic]…To have been betrayed by someone in the Christian Community.

From The Daily Beast

KABUL, Afghanistan — The girls of Afghanistan have been betrayed.

From The Daily Beast

Feeling betrayed by the Obama administration, he has since said that his days working for the U.S. government are over.

From The Daily Beast

He turned at the sound of my voice with vastly more concern than he'd betrayed under the muzzle of Piegan's gun.

From Project Gutenberg

No passing light in her eyes betrayed that she had caught the reflection of the thought that lay behind them.

From Project Gutenberg

I, Aristide Pujol, have never betrayed the sacred obligations of friendship.

From Project Gutenberg

He was Gascon to the backbone, and his tongue too often betrayed his most secret and his most transient thoughts.

From Project Gutenberg

It has been said that the Duke betrayed the Bourbons and was privy to the Emperor's return, but this is a calumny.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• misled
• tricked