betray

[ bih-trey ]

/ bɪˈtreɪ /

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See synonyms for: betray / betrayed / betraying / betrayal on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty: Benedict Arnold betrayed his country.

to be unfaithful in guarding, maintaining, or fulfilling: to betray a trust.

to disappoint the hopes or expectations of; be disloyal to: to betray one's friends.

to reveal or disclose in violation of confidence: to betray a secret.

to reveal unconsciously (something one would preferably conceal): Her nervousness betrays her insecurity.

to show or exhibit; reveal; disclose: an unfeeling remark that betrays his lack of concern.

to deceive, misguide, or corrupt: a young lawyer betrayed by political ambitions into irreparable folly.

to seduce and desert.

OTHER WORDS FOR betray

4 bare, expose, tell, divulge.

6 display, manifest, demonstrate, uncover.

See synonyms for betray on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR betray

4, 6 hide, conceal.

See antonyms for betray on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of betray

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English bitraien, equivalent to bi- be- + traien, from Old French trair, from Latin trādere “to betray”; see traitor

OTHER WORDS FROM betray

be·tray·al, nounbe·tray·er, nounpre·be·tray, verb (used with object)self-be·tray·ing, adjective

un·be·trayed, adjectiveun·be·tray·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use betray in a sentence

Sometimes he betrayed both sides to stay faithful to himself.
The dramatic — and embellished — life of Graham Greene|Michael Mewshaw|January 15, 2021|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.
Laura Poitras says she’s been fired by First Look Media over Reality Winner controversy. Now she’s questioning the company’s integrity.|Sarah Ellison|January 14, 2021|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.
Carolyn Hax: A parent pooh-poohs a non-parent’s sleep-deprivation|Carolyn Hax|January 12, 2021|Washington Post
It is not clear whether this trait is part of his normal genetic heritage or whether it betrays awareness of being special.
Onward and upward for the zoo’s giant panda cub|Martin Weil|January 12, 2021|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.
Several Capitol police officers suspended, more than a dozen under investigation over actions related to rally, riot|Aaron Davis, Rebecca Tan, Beth Reinhard|January 12, 2021|Washington Post
A young novelist dies, the American military is betrayed and James Patterson is profiled.
The Daily Beast’s Best Longreads, Dec 29-Jan 4, 2014|William Boot|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The reversal shocked those who felt betrayed by the scientists, and who yelled “shame, shame” when the scientists were free.
Madonna, Carla Bruni & Obama Abandoned Pledges To Rebuild L'Aquila After The Quake|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I had to file for bankruptsy [sic]…To have been betrayed by someone in the Christian Community.
Ponzi-Scheming Pastor Fleeced His Flock Out of Millions|Brandy Zadrozny|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
KABUL, Afghanistan — The girls of Afghanistan have been betrayed.
The West Made Lots of Promises to Afghan Girls, Now It’s Breaking Them|Heather Barr|October 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Feeling betrayed by the Obama administration, he has since said that his days working for the U.S. government are over.
Blackwater Founder Wants to Fight Ebola, ISIS, and for the GOP to ‘Get Off Their Ass’|Asawin Suebsaeng|September 20, 2014|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.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
No passing light in her eyes betrayed that she had caught the reflection of the thought that lay behind them.
Bella Donna|Robert Hichens
I, Aristide Pujol, have never betrayed the sacred obligations of friendship.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
He was Gascon to the backbone, and his tongue too often betrayed his most secret and his most transient thoughts.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
It has been said that the Duke betrayed the Bourbons and was privy to the Emperor's return, but this is a calumny.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison

British Dictionary definitions for betray

betray

/ (bɪˈtreɪ) /

verb (tr)

to aid an enemy of (one's nation, friend, etc); be a traitor toto betray one's country

to hand over or expose (one's nation, friend, etc) treacherously to an enemy

to disclose (a secret, confidence, etc) treacherously

to break (a promise) or be disloyal to (a person's trust)

to disappoint the expectations of; failhis tired legs betrayed him

to show signs of; indicateif one taps china, the sound betrays any faults

to reveal unintentionallyhis grin betrayed his satisfaction

betray oneself to reveal one's true character, intentions, etc

to lead astray; deceive

euphemistic to seduce and then forsake (a woman)

Derived forms of betray

betrayal, nounbetrayer, noun

Word Origin for betray

C13: from be- + trayen from Old French trair, from Latin trādere

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

betray

OTHER WORDS FOR betray

OPPOSITES FOR betray

Origin of betray

OTHER WORDS FROM betray

Words related to betray

How to use betray in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for betray

Derived forms of betray

Word Origin for betray