betraying
Turning against allies
Betraying is being disloyal to someone who trusts you—revealing secrets, breaking faith, or acting against their interests.
A spy betraying their country passes information to enemies.
A friend betraying a confidence shares what was told privately.
Betraying can also mean unintentionally revealing: Her trembling voice was betraying her fear.
Things betray when they fail you: His legs betrayed him on the final hill.
One who betrays allegiance
- defectorOne who abandons allegiance
- judasTreacherous betrayer of trust
- quislingTreasonous occupation collaborator
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
backstab · perfidy · disloyalty · sedition · renegade · collaborator · apostate · saboteur
Act of revealing information
- leakEscape through a breach
- exposingMaking something known
- divulgingRevealing concealed information
- revealingMaking known what's hidden
confidential · classified · whistleblower · informant · spilling · breach · unauthorized · confession
Creating false impressions
- duplicitousDeliberately deceptive in nature
- dishonestInclined to deceive
- misleadingCausing false beliefs
- fraudulentInvolving intentional dishonesty
guile · duplicity · subterfuge · cunning · scheming · conniving · manipulative · dissembling
Deceptive rule-breaking
- adulteryMarried person's sexual betrayal
- unfaithfulBetraying a partner's trust
- affairRomantic entanglement outside commitment
- two-timingBeing unfaithful romantically
extramarital · philanderer · cuckold · mistress · paramour · lover · fling · liaison
Moral self-reproach
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- remorseGuilt for wrongdoing
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- regretSorrow over past actions
anguish · torment · conflict · torn · wavering · hesitation · reluctance · confession
turncoat
One who betrays allegiance
- defectorOne who abandons allegiance
- judasTreacherous betrayer of trust
- quislingTreasonous occupation collaborator
double-cross · backstab · perfidy · disloyalty · sedition · renegade · collaborator · apostate · saboteur · sellout
disclosure
Act of revealing information
revealing · confidential · classified · whistleblower · informant · spilling · breach · unauthorized · confession · outing
deceptive
Creating false impressions
- duplicitousDeliberately deceptive in nature
- dishonestInclined to deceive
- misleadingCausing false beliefs
fraudulent · guile · duplicity · subterfuge · cunning · scheming · conniving · manipulative · dissembling · insincere
cheating
Deceptive rule-breaking
- adulteryMarried person's sexual betrayal
- unfaithfulBetraying a partner's trust
- affairRomantic entanglement outside commitment
two-timing · extramarital · philanderer · cuckold · mistress · paramour · lover · fling · liaison · heartbreaker
guilt
Moral self-reproach
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- remorseGuilt for wrongdoing
- conscienceInternal moral sense
regret · anguish · torment · conflict · torn · wavering · hesitation · reluctance · confession · burden
- interactionstalking, sharing, greeting, helping, listening
- betrayalbackstab, backstabber, double-cross, treachery, disloyalty
- hostile behaviorsattacking, bullying, fighting, harassing, hitting
- letting downdisappointing, failing, abandoning, neglecting, standing up
- shamingshaming, humiliating, disgracing, dishonoring, degrading
- troublemakingtroublemaker, troublemaking, instigate, agitator, instigating
betrayingstanding by
Ready to act
keeping faith · honoring · dutiful · upholding · supporting
betrayingprotecting
Keeping from harm
defending · safeguarding · shielding · guarding · sheltering
betrayingkeeping
Holding in custody
concealing · guarding · protecting · hiding · preserving
betray, traitor, betrayal, treason, betrayer, betrayed, betrays, betrayals, betrayers