loyal
Americanadjective
-
faithful to one's sovereign, government, or state.
a loyal subject.
- Synonyms:
- patriotic
- Antonyms:
- treacherous, faithless, disloyal, treasonous, traitorous
-
faithful to one's oath, commitments, or obligations.
to be loyal to a vow.
-
faithful to any leader, party, or cause, or to any person or thing conceived as deserving fidelity.
a loyal friend.
-
characterized by or showing faithfulness to commitments, vows, allegiance, obligations, etc..
loyal conduct.
adjective
-
having or showing continuing allegiance
-
faithful to one's country, government, etc
-
of or expressing loyalty
Synonym Usage
See faithful.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of loyal
First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French, Old French loial, lei(a)l, from Latin lēgālis legal
Explanation
If you are faithful and devoted to someone or something, you're loyal. If you refuse to buy milk from anyone other than Farmer Jones, then you're a very loyal customer. Someone who is loyal is reliable and always true, like your trusty dog. Loyal comes from the Old French word loial which means something like "legal," but if someone is only loyal to you because the law requires him to be, that's not true loyalty, which should come from the heart, not a contract. A loyal friend supports you all the time, no matter what. You can also be loyal to an idea, like the People's Revolution, or girl-power.
Vocabulary lists containing loyal
Dog Vocabulary: A Canine Lexicon
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Words to Describe a Friend
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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.
But Labour still holds a commanding majority in the House of Commons, and Kemi Badenoch’s diminished band of Conservatives still sit across from them as His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition.
From Salon • May 10, 2026
Loyal alumni, brisk fundraising and success placing students in jobs and graduate schools are cause for optimism, they said, despite the challenges.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
She digs further into the gritty neo-perreo sound with tantalizing tracks like “222,” featuring Loyal Lobos, and the sticky, synth-laden melody of “Don’t Cry.”
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2025
The two-time Grammy-winner is known for hits like Loyal, Run It and Under the Influence.
From BBC • May 21, 2025
Although it was a particularly hot and humid summer, the women of the Loyal League continued their campaign and collected three hundred thousand more names.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
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.
