betrayed

American

[bih-treyd] / bɪˈtreɪd /

adjective

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

the simple past tense and past participle of betray.

Other Word Forms

unbetrayed adjective

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.

“Crawfie was ostracized as a result, and ‘doing a Crawfie’ became the shorthand term for any Palace employee who betrayed intimate family details for financial gain.”

From The Wall Street Journal

However Anwar added: "Many powerful men have made promises to Margaret that have repeatedly been betrayed - the test of this inquiry will be whether it follows the evidence."

From BBC

Asked how British families who lost loved ones in Afghanistan might be feeling, VanDiver says they would likely feel "betrayed", adding: "What I would say to those families is I'm sorry."

From BBC

"It was so perfect we didn't notice, and we still don't know who betrayed us, how they betrayed us -- it happened so fast."

From Barron's

Some of Maduro's supporters have alleged he was betrayed by a close ally.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023