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
Derived 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.
Mr Burnham commissioned a series of independent reviews after he became mayor in 2017, following the BBC documentary The Betrayed Girls, which highlighted repeated failures to protect children in the region.
From BBC • Jan. 15, 2024
Betrayed needs to “forgive” herself and thank her cousin.
From Washington Post • Aug. 5, 2022
Betrayed by the adults in power, they must use their collective powers to wage a resistance and take back their future.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 2, 2019
Betrayed by others, they betray in turn, forever tunneling back through the past, seeking the meaning of their acts.
From New York Times • Nov. 19, 2018
Betrayed the right amount of feeling—indignation, disgust—but no guilt, no discomfiture?
From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie
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.
