adultery
Cheating while married
Adultery is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone who is not their spouse.
The term carries strong moral and legal weight, appearing in religious prohibitions and historically in criminal statutes.
In many jurisdictions, adultery remains grounds for divorce.
The person who commits adultery is an adulterer (or adulteress, though this gendered form is increasingly dated).
She filed for divorce after discovering his adultery.
The adjective adulterous describes relationships, affairs, or behavior involving such infidelity.
Romantic entanglement outside commitment
- extramaritalOutside the marriage bond
- mistressIllicit female lover
- loverRomantic intimate
- paramourLover in secret affair
philanderer · homewrecker · cuckold · concubine · illicit
Breach of romantic commitment
- disloyaltyBreach of allegiance
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- treacheryDeliberate violation of trust
- breachBreaking of agreement
duplicity · double-cross · perfidy · dishonesty · backstabbing · cheating · two-timing · faithlessness
Violation of divine law
- commandmentAuthoritative rule to obey
- forbiddenNot allowed
- sacrilegeViolation of the hallowed
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
repentance · penance · atonement · forgiveness · excommunication · covenant · absolution · condemnation
Violation of divine law
- transgressionViolation of law or code
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
- immoralityQuality of being wicked
- fornicationIntercourse between unmarried persons
vice · dishonor · wickedness · misdeed · unethical · depravity · corruption · impurity
Disgraceful public affair
- stigmaMark of dishonor
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- disgraceLoss of honor
- tabooCultural or social prohibition
ostracism · gossip · reputation · divorce · separation · infamy · exposure · revelation
Concealed from authorities
- trystSecret romantic meeting
- liaisonConnector between groups
- rendezvousScheduled meeting at agreed location
- sneakingMoving to avoid detection
covert · hidden · furtive · concealment · secret · assignation · cover-up
affair
Romantic entanglement outside commitment
- extramaritalOutside the marriage bond
- mistressIllicit female lover
- loverRomantic intimate
paramour · philanderer · homewrecker · cuckold · concubine · illicit
unfaithfulness
Breach of romantic commitment
- disloyaltyBreach of allegiance
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- treacheryDeliberate violation of trust
breach · duplicity · double-cross · perfidy · dishonesty · backstabbing · cheating · two-timing · faithlessness · falseness
sin
Violation of divine law
- commandmentAuthoritative rule to obey
- forbiddenNot allowed
- sacrilegeViolation of the hallowed
confession · repentance · penance · atonement · forgiveness · excommunication · covenant · absolution · condemnation
sin
Violation of divine law
- transgressionViolation of law or code
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
- immoralityQuality of being wicked
fornication · vice · dishonor · wickedness · misdeed · unethical · depravity · corruption · impurity · indecency
scandal
Disgraceful public affair
taboo · ostracism · gossip · reputation · divorce · separation · infamy · exposure · revelation
clandestine
Concealed from authorities
- trystSecret romantic meeting
- liaisonConnector between groups
- rendezvousScheduled meeting at agreed location
sneaking · covert · hidden · furtive · concealment · secret · assignation · cover-up
- marriagebride, groom, wedding, husband, wife
- betrayalsbackstabbing, cheating, disloyalty, double-crossing, infidelity
- vicesgreed, envy, lust, gluttony, vanity
- commandmentsTen Commandments, no other gods, honor thy parents, honor parents, no stealing
- sexual customssexual norms, sexual taboos, marriage customs, courtship, virginity
- sinoriginal sin, mortal sin, venial sin, deadly sins, seven deadly sins
adulteryfaithfulness
Devoted loyalty maintained
fidelity · monogamy · loyalty · marital fidelity · constancy
adulteryfaithfulness
Devoted loyalty maintained
dedication · integrity · honor · trustworthiness · chastity
- committed adulteryWas sexually unfaithful while married
- commit adulterySexual infidelity in marriage
- committing adulterySexual infidelity while married
- adultery lawsLegislation criminalizing spousal unfaithfulness
- adulterated goodsProducts compromised by additives
adulterate, adulterous, adulteration, adulterer, adulterated, adulteress, adulterates, adulteries, adulterating