betrayed

American  

[bih-treyd] / bɪˈtreɪd /

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.

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verb

1. 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

Then only 19, she racked her brain - could a friend have betrayed her?

From BBC

Starr said he is working with the San Bernardino County district attorney’s office to explore legal avenues to remove Lopez from office, including by proving he committed a felony or betrayed his oath of office.

From Los Angeles Times

Mariyana feels betrayed: "The state threw me to the roadside. I gave them my husband, and they left me alone with nothing."

From BBC

Ronaldo's response was to give an interview to Piers Morgan on TalkTV in which he complained, as Salah has effectively done now, that he was "betrayed by the club".

From BBC

He posted chats on social media showing ChatGPT supporting the notion that his paranoia was justified and his mother had betrayed him.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• misled
• tricked