Betray: meaning, definitions and examples

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betray

 

[ bษชหˆtreษช ]

Verb / Noun
Context #1 | Verb

in relationships

to be disloyal to someone by deceiving or abandoning them, especially in a time of need

Synonyms

backstab, deceive, double-cross, sell out

Examples of usage

  • He felt betrayed by his best friend when he found out he was spreading rumors about him.
  • She felt like she had been betrayed by her husband when she discovered he was having an affair.
  • The spy betrayed his country by leaking classified information to the enemy.
Context #2 | Verb

in a trust

to reveal or disclose confidential information, especially against someone's trust or expectation

Synonyms

disclose, divulge, expose, unveil

Examples of usage

  • He betrayed his colleague by revealing their project plans to their competitors.
  • She felt betrayed by her therapist when he disclosed her personal struggles to his other clients.
Context #3 | Noun

emotion

a feeling of being hurt or let down by someone close, due to their disloyalty or treachery

Synonyms

backstabbing, deceit, disloyalty, treachery

Examples of usage

  • She couldn't shake off the feeling of betrayal after her best friend shared her secrets with others.
  • Betrayal can lead to a deep sense of distrust and emotional pain in relationships.

Translations

Translations of the word "betray" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น trair

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคงเฅ‹เค–เคพ เคฆเฅ‡เคจเคพ (dhokha dena)

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช verraten

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ mengkhianati

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะทั€ะฐะดะธั‚ะธ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ zdradziฤ‡

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ่ฃๅˆ‡ใ‚‹ (uragiru)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท trahir

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ traicionar

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท ihanet etmek

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋ฐฐ์‹ ํ•˜๋‹ค (baesinhada)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุฎูŠุงู†ุฉ (khiyana)

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ zradit

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ zradiลฅ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ่ƒŒๅ› (bรจipร n)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ izdati

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ svรญkja

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ัะฐั‚า›ั‹ะฝะดั‹า› ะถะฐัะฐัƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ’แƒแƒชแƒ”แƒ›แƒ (gats'ema)

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ xษ™yanษ™t etmษ™k

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ traicionar

Etymology

The word 'betray' originated from the Latin word 'tradere,' meaning 'to hand over.' Over time, it evolved to include the sense of handing over someone's trust or confidence to harm them. The concept of betrayal has been a prevalent theme in literature, psychology, and human relationships, depicting the deep emotional impact of broken trust and deception.

See also: betrayal, betrayed, betrayer, betraying, betrayingly, betrayor.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,630, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.