1
as in crossing
to be unfaithful or disloyal to
childhood friends of movie stars often betray them by telling their secrets to the supermarket tabloids
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in revealing
to make known (something abstract) through outward signs
his face betrayed his exasperation with his nosy neighbor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in seducing
to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage
she was betrayed by a false show of friendship into covering up the crime
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of betraying
In effect, by criticizing the lower courts, a handful of Supreme Court justices are coming dangerously close to betraying, rather than protecting, the rule of law.
—
Noah Feldman, Twin Cities, 24 Dec. 2025
The ponyatiya of Putin’s youth generally meant never betraying your gang and always standing up for your friends.
—Andrew Ryvkin, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2025
In these seasons, the archetypes provide a narrative lens not only for audiences but for the players to see themselves in the game—what’s the social cost of betraying their family?
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
In addition to betraying the spirit of America’s founding, the Biden mandate invited bipartisan, bicameral opposition.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
The first book ends with James betraying Ruby following the death of his mother, but the TV series’ creative team decided to end slightly earlier than that, preserving a quasi-happy ending should a Season 2 never come to pass.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 28 Nov. 2025
In the second season, which has just started production, Knightley’s Helen is still betraying her nation’s secrets to the Black Doves.
—Peter White, Deadline, 18 Nov. 2025
For the most part, however, the Stranger waltzes around in plain sight, adopting the form of an androgynous teen — their scarred face betraying the wounds of Heaven’s rejection — who baits the Boy into indulging his darkest impulses.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 13 Nov. 2025
Even with this diversity, converts to Islam are sometimes accused of betraying their culture.
—Ken Chitwood, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betraying
Verb
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The statement came just days after county leadership joined state and team officials in Topeka for a joint announcement that the Chiefs would be leaving Kansas City and crossing state lines into Kansas.—
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The video showed the mysterious concept, dubbed Corleo, roaming rocky terrain, leaping over icy crevasses, crossing snowy landscapes without losing its footing, and traversing a dark forest at night — all while carrying an adult rider on its back and being powered by a hydrogen power cell.—
Verb
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This collection gathers 27 of her stories in English translation, revealing the narrative complexity, keen psychological insight, and careful attention to realistic detail that was characteristic of her work.—
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Buried beneath old factories and layers of earth, this slice of a city was brought back to life, revealing a settlement that once held a prominent regional position as a center of industry and trade.—
Verb
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The video featured a tired Madonna running into a mysterious man and woman in a hotel hallway, with the two seducing the singer into a night together, done as a tribute to the 1963 French film Bay of Angels, which starred Jeanne Moreau.—
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Jennifer then develops a taste for human flesh and begins seducing and killing teenage boys.—
Verb
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This can be as simple as displaying your kids' art on the fridge or as involved as involving your partner in paint choices.—
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Baker immediately objected and said displaying the files and suggesting jurors would later receive them was improper unless their relevance to the defendants’ state of mind had first been established.—
Verb
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Choosing safer plants, securing the tree and keeping tempting items out of reach can help ensure the season stays festive for everyone, including the four-legged members of the family.—
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Fill your plate with healthier fare such as raw vegetables, shrimp cocktail and fresh fruit so there's less room for the higher-calorie dishes that are tempting you.—
Verb
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Byard studies a smartphone showing his year-old wishes for a new coach, those expressed to a reporter late last season, including disappointment that far too many missteps had been improperly dealt with.—
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The Irvine Police Department (IPD) released footage showing what appears to be heavily armed officers foiling the brazen burglary as two suspects, dressed in black hoodies and face masks, attempted to flee with an armful of designer items.—
Verb
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And this new college football world — where players are free agents every year — has dramatically benefitted Miami because of the Canes’ knack for luring top players (Cam Ward, Carson Beck, many others) and their financial wherewithal to offer them competitive NIL deals.—
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It's revealed that this beauty drug is infecting people with a virus that leads to death, luring in an investigation by FBI Agents Cooper Madsen, played by Evan Peters, and Jordan Bennett, played by Rebecca Hall.—
Verb
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One do-it-yourselfer demonstrating step-by-step how to rewire an electrical outlet via a TikTok video replaces thousands of dads and grandpas who could do the same thing.—
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In the videos, opposing factions demonstrating across the country rallied around chants in support of and opposition to the Iranian government.—
Cite this Entry
“Betraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betraying. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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