breaking vows
Forsaking sworn oaths
Breaking vows is the act of violating a solemn promise or commitment.
The phrase most often refers to marriage vows—infidelity or abandonment—but applies to any sacred or formal pledge: religious vows, oaths of office, pledges of loyalty.
She accused him of breaking his vows when he had the affair.
The gravity comes from the original solemnity; breaking vows implies betrayal of something once held sacred.
- betrayalBreaking of trust
- oathFormal binding promise
- sacred oathSpiritually binding promise
- promiseCommitment to act
- unfaithfulBetraying a partner's trust
cheating · adultery · infidelity · till death · treachery · forsaken · shattered · trust · trust issues · sacred · marriage · cold feet · divorce · walking away · affair · lies · white lies · deception
- church offensesheresy, apostasy, schism, blasphemy, sacrilege
- shamingshaming, humiliating, disgracing, dishonoring, degrading
- dilemmasdilemma, moral dilemma, ethical dilemma, tough call, lesser evil
- sinsgreed, lust, gluttony, deadly sin, sloth