treason

American  

[tree-zuhn] / ˈtri zən /

noun

1. the offense of acting to overthrow one's government or to harm or kill its sovereign.

2. a violation of allegiance to one's sovereign or to one's state.

3. the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.

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treason British  

/ ˈtriːzən /

noun

1. violation or betrayal of the allegiance that a person owes his sovereign or his country, esp by attempting to overthrow the government; high treason

2. any treachery or betrayal

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Related Words

Treason, sedition mean disloyalty or treachery to one's country or its government. Treason is any attempt to overthrow the government or impair the well-being of a state to which one owes allegiance; the crime of giving aid or comfort to the enemies of one's government. Sedition is any act, writing, speech, etc., directed unlawfully against state authority, the government, or constitution, or calculated to bring it into contempt or to incite others to hostility, ill will or disaffection; it does not amount to treason and therefore is not a capital offense. See disloyalty.

Other Word Forms

• supertreason noun
• treasonable adjective
• treasonableness noun
• treasonably adverb

Etymology

Origin of treason

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English tre(i)so(u)n, from Anglo-French; Old French traïson, from Latin trāditiōn-, stem of trāditiō “delivery, transfer, betrayal”; tradition

Compare meaning

How does treason compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• sedition vs. treason

Example Sentences

The penalty for treason can be death and for sedition up to 20 years in prison.

From The Wall Street Journal

At least 240 people were charged with treason after the protests, but the president later sought to ease tension and asked prosecutors to "show leniency".

From BBC

Despite a lack of evidence, Dreyfus was convicted of treason, sentenced to life imprisonment in the infamous Devil's Island penal colony in French Guiana and publicly stripped of his rank.

From Barron's

In October Senesh was charged with treason and placed on trial, where she asserted her innocence and accused the Hungarian judges of “wickedness.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Marggie Orozco, 65, was given the maximum sentence for "treason, incitement to hatred, and conspiracy" after community leaders reported her for what was perceived to be a disloyal message.

From Barron's

Related Words

• crime
• mutiny
• sedition
• subversion
• treachery