betray

verb

be·tray bi-ˈtrā How to pronounce betray (audio)

bē-

betrayed; betraying; betrays

transitive verb

: to lead astray

especially : seduce

a nation betrayed into violence

a teenager betrayed by a much older man

: to deliver to an enemy by treachery

was betrayed to the authorities by one of his students

betraying one's own country

: to fail or desert especially in time of need

betrayed his family

felt that she would be betraying her principles

You've betrayed our trust.

: to reveal unintentionally

betray one's true feelings

: show, indicate

His best columns betray … the philosophical bent of his mind.

John Mason Brown

: to disclose in violation of confidence

betray a secret

intransitive verb

: to prove false

betrayer

bi-ˈtrā-ər How to pronounce betray (audio)

bē-

noun

Example Sentences

They betrayed their country by selling its secrets to other governments. She is very loyal and would never betray a friend. She betrayed her own people by supporting the enemy. She coughed, betraying her presence behind the door.

Recent Examples on the Web Levis know if his eyes lock in on a target and betray his intentions.

Brett Dawson, The Courier-Journal, 29 Aug. 2022 After the fall of the Berlin Wall, a former spy killer is set free and embarks on a revenge spree against the people who conspired to betray her.

Rodney Ho, ajc, 14 Aug. 2022 Peele’s Hollywood movies attract viewers but then betray them.

Armond White, National Review, 22 July 2022 Today, that’s an act of rebellion in a society that gaslights young women into getting preventative Botox and lip fillers, that tells us to hate natural bodies, to live in a hole of denial that our bodies will betray us all in the end.

Sarah Grant, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2022 Six years into the war, Mr. Putin turned the chief mufti of Chechnya to betray the rebel cause.

New York Times, 29 Mar. 2022 Don John arranges for Claudio to witness a pseudo-tryst on a balcony in which Hero appears to betray her betrothed with a lover on the night before their wedding.

Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 28 July 2022 In 2020, there were a few left in the Republican party that refused to betray the country.

San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2022 Dril’s tweets, in their tendency to betray a persecution complex, used to draw frequent comparisons to those of the former President Donald Trump, now banned from Twitter.

Colin Marshall, The New Yorker, 17 June 2022 See More

betray

verb

as in to backstab

to be unfaithful or disloyal to childhood friends of movie stars often betray them by telling their secrets to the supermarket tabloids

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

backstab
cross
double-cross
shop
sell (out)
stab in the back
give away
sell down the river
two-time
turn in
peach
snitch (on)
go back on
split (on)
inform (on)
tell (on)
rat (on)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

protect
defend
safeguard
save
guard
stand by
shield

as in to reveal

to make known (something abstract) through outward signs his face betrayed his exasperation with his nosy neighbor

Synonyms & Similar Words

reveal
display
show
demonstrate
expose
evince
manifest
communicate
declare
disclose
bespeak
give away
proclaim
uncover
bare
announce
sound
advertise
uncloak
unbosom
publicize
air
broadcast
trumpet
project
blaze
placard

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

misrepresent
distort
belie
falsify
disguise
conceal
twist
hide
camouflage
obscure
occlude
cover
gild
whitewash
mask
veil
garble
gloss (over)
varnish
counterfeit

as in to tempt

to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage she was betrayed by a false show of friendship into covering up the crime

Synonyms & Similar Words

tempt
seduce
persuade
lure
entice
beguile
solicit
bait
lead on
allure
decoy
fascinate
entrap
ensnare
inveigle
trap
enchant
draw in
enmesh
captivate
bewitch
tangle
snow
catch
mesh
snare
charm
magnetize
wile
immesh
rope (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

warn
ward (off)
alert
caution
forewarn
drive (away or off)
turn away
repulse

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of betray are disclose, divulge, reveal, and tell. While all these words mean "to make known what has been or should be concealed," betray implies a divulging that represents a breach of faith or an involuntary or unconscious disclosure.

a blush that betrayed her embarrassment

Although the words disclose and betray have much in common, disclose may imply a discovering but more often an imparting of information previously kept secret.

candidates must disclose their financial assets

While the synonyms divulge and betray are close in meaning, divulge implies a disclosure involving some impropriety or breach of confidence.

refused to divulge an anonymous source

While in some cases nearly identical to betray, reveal may apply to supernatural or inspired revelation of truths beyond the range of ordinary human vision or reason.

divine will as revealed in sacred writings

The words tell and betray are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tell implies an imparting of necessary or useful information.

told them what he had overheard

单词	betray
释义	betray verb be·tray bi-ˈtrā bē- betrayed; betraying; betrays transitive verb 1 : to lead astray especially : seduce a nation betrayed into violence a teenager betrayed by a much older man 2 : to deliver to an enemy by treachery was betrayed to the authorities by one of his students betraying one's own country 3 : to fail or desert especially in time of need betrayed his family felt that she would be betraying her principles You've betrayed our trust. 4 a : to reveal unintentionally betray one's true feelings b : show, indicate His best columns betray … the philosophical bent of his mind. John Mason Brown c : to disclose in violation of confidence betray a secret intransitive verb : to prove false betrayer bi-ˈtrā-ər bē- noun Synonyms backstab cross double-cross sell (out) two-time See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences They betrayed their country by selling its secrets to other governments. She is very loyal and would never betray a friend. She betrayed her own people by supporting the enemy. She coughed, betraying her presence behind the door. Recent Examples on the Web Levis know if his eyes lock in on a target and betray his intentions. Brett Dawson, The Courier-Journal, 29 Aug. 2022 After the fall of the Berlin Wall, a former spy killer is set free and embarks on a revenge spree against the people who conspired to betray her. Rodney Ho, ajc, 14 Aug. 2022 Peele’s Hollywood movies attract viewers but then betray them. Armond White, National Review, 22 July 2022 Today, that’s an act of rebellion in a society that gaslights young women into getting preventative Botox and lip fillers, that tells us to hate natural bodies, to live in a hole of denial that our bodies will betray us all in the end. Sarah Grant, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2022 Six years into the war, Mr. Putin turned the chief mufti of Chechnya to betray the rebel cause. New York Times, 29 Mar. 2022 Don John arranges for Claudio to witness a pseudo-tryst on a balcony in which Hero appears to betray her betrothed with a lover on the night before their wedding. Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 28 July 2022 In 2020, there were a few left in the Republican party that refused to betray the country. San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2022 Dril’s tweets, in their tendency to betray a persecution complex, used to draw frequent comparisons to those of the former President Donald Trump, now banned from Twitter. Colin Marshall, The New Yorker, 17 June 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English, from be- + trayen to betray, from Anglo-French trahir, from Latin tradere — more at traitor First Known Use 13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1 Phrases Containing betray betray someone's friendship betray someone's trust betray nothing betray someone's friendship betray someone's trust betray nothing Kids Definition betray verb be·tray bi-ˈtrā betrayed; betraying 1 : to give over to an enemy by treason or treachery betray a fort 2 : to be unfaithful to betray a friend betrayed our trust 3 : to reveal or show without meaning to betray fear 4 : to tell in violation of a trust betray a secret betray verb 1 as in to backstab to be unfaithful or disloyal to childhood friends of movie stars often betray them by telling their secrets to the supermarket tabloids Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance backstab cross double-cross shop sell (out) stab in the back give away sell down the river two-time turn in peach snitch (on) go back on split (on) inform (on) tell (on) rat (on) Antonyms & Near Antonyms protect defend safeguard save guard stand by shield See More 2 as in to reveal to make known (something abstract) through outward signs his face betrayed his exasperation with his nosy neighbor Synonyms & Similar Words reveal display show demonstrate expose evince manifest communicate declare disclose bespeak give away proclaim uncover bare announce sound advertise uncloak unbosom publicize air broadcast trumpet project blaze placard Antonyms & Near Antonyms misrepresent distort belie falsify disguise conceal twist hide camouflage obscure occlude cover gild whitewash mask veil garble gloss (over) varnish counterfeit See More 3 as in to tempt to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage she was betrayed by a false show of friendship into covering up the crime Synonyms & Similar Words tempt seduce persuade lure entice beguile solicit bait lead on allure decoy fascinate entrap ensnare inveigle trap enchant draw in enmesh captivate bewitch tangle snow catch mesh snare charm magnetize wile immesh rope (in) Antonyms & Near Antonyms warn ward (off) alert caution forewarn drive (away or off) turn away repulse See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of betray are disclose, divulge, reveal, and tell. While all these words mean "to make known what has been or should be concealed," betray implies a divulging that represents a breach of faith or an involuntary or unconscious disclosure. a blush that betrayed her embarrassment Although the words disclose and betray have much in common, disclose may imply a discovering but more often an imparting of information previously kept secret. candidates must disclose their financial assets While the synonyms divulge and betray are close in meaning, divulge implies a disclosure involving some impropriety or breach of confidence. refused to divulge an anonymous source While in some cases nearly identical to betray, reveal may apply to supernatural or inspired revelation of truths beyond the range of ordinary human vision or reason. divine will as revealed in sacred writings The words tell and betray are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tell implies an imparting of necessary or useful information. told them what he had overheard
随便看	sub-optimum sub-organization sub-organizations sub-panel sub-panels sub-par sub-paragraph sub-paragraphs sub-parallel sub-part sub-parts sub-period sub-periods sub-phase sub-phases sub-post office sub-process sub-processes sub-product sub-products sub-project sub-projects sub-Pyrenean sub-rational sub-rosa

betray

verb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing betray

Kids Definition

verb

verb

Synonym Chooser