betrayed
Americanadjective
-
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.
-
not guarded, maintained, or fulfilled faithfully.
The political history of that nation is a painful one, full of betrayed promises and almost continuous war.
-
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.
-
revealed or disclosed in violation of confidence.
In the underground economy, a betrayed secret is lethal to any operation.
-
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
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of betrayed
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Some teenagers feel betrayed by the bans, which mall owners implement as a last resort despite courting Gen Z shoppers.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
He is arguing that Altman and another co-founder, Greg Brockman, betrayed the original mission of the nonprofit organization, driven by their desire to “cash in” on the technology.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
"You put your trust in solicitors to deal with things like this. We just felt instantly betrayed, and thought 'why have they done this?'"
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
Federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who must decide whether OpenAI -- the creator of ChatGPT -- betrayed its original nonprofit mission, had to intervene several times to compel the world's richest man to answer questions.
From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026
Around him stood the members of a cult, a secret brotherhood that he had betrayed.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
