perfidy
Breach of faith
Perfidy is deliberate betrayal of trust—treachery that violates a bond of faith or loyalty.
The word carries a formal, literary weight, often appearing in contexts of war, diplomacy, or sworn allegiance: The general's perfidy cost thousands of lives.
Unlike simple dishonesty, perfidy implies a relationship where faithfulness was expected and its violation particularly shameful.
Covert betrayal of trust
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
- treasonBetraying one's nation
- disloyaltyBreach of allegiance
- JudasArchetypal betrayer name
turncoat · defection · apostasy · renegade · quisling · fifth columnist · sellout · betrayer
Deliberate misleading behavior
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- guileSly, strategic dishonesty
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
chicanery · dissembling · artifice · craftiness · trickery · slyness · scheming · underhanded
Breach of romantic commitment
- adulteryMarried person's sexual betrayal
- cheatingDeceptive rule-breaking
- two-timingBeing unfaithful romantically
- faithlessnessDisloyalty or treachery
affair · extramarital · philanderer · cuckold · inconstancy · fickleness · broken vows · dalliance
backstabbing
Covert betrayal of trust
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
- treasonBetraying one's nation
- disloyaltyBreach of allegiance
Judas · turncoat · defection · apostasy · renegade · quisling · fifth columnist · sellout · betrayer · sedition
duplicity
Deliberate misleading behavior
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- guileSly, strategic dishonesty
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
subterfuge · chicanery · dissembling · artifice · craftiness · trickery · slyness · scheming · underhanded · manipulation
unfaithfulness
Breach of romantic commitment
- adulteryMarried person's sexual betrayal
- cheatingDeceptive rule-breaking
- two-timingBeing unfaithful romantically
faithlessness · affair · extramarital · philanderer · cuckold · inconstancy · fickleness · broken vows · dalliance · love triangle
scam
Dishonest money-making scheme
embezzlement · hoax · sham · charlatan · counterfeit · grift · flimflam · quackery · impostor · fraudster
- wrongdoingmisconduct, crime, sabotage, crimes, misbehavior
- betrayalbackstab, betray, traitor, backstabber, double-cross
- military offensesdesertion, insubordination, mutiny, AWOL, absence without leave
- corruptioncorruption, graft, kickbacks, bribery, bribes
- deceptionslie, lies, lying, deceit, decoy
- disgracedishonor, disgrace, downfall, stigma, scandal
perfidyfidelity
Loyalty or exactness
loyalty · faithfulness · fealty · allegiance · constancy
perfidytrustworthiness
Quality of being reliable
reliability · dependability · honesty · honor · integrity