faithful
1 of 2adjective
faith·ful ˈfāth-fəl 
1
: steadfast in affection or allegiance : loyal
a faithful friend
2
: firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty : conscientious
a faithful employee
3
: given with strong assurance : binding
a faithful promise
4
: true to the facts, to a standard, or to an original
a faithful copy
5
obsolete : full of faith
faithfully
ˈfāth-fə-lē
adverb faithfulness noun
faithful
2 of 2noun
1
plural in construction
a
: church members in full communion and good standing —used with the
b
: the body of believers in Islam —used with the
2
plural faithful or faithfuls : one who is faithful
especially : a loyal follower, member, or fan
party faithfuls
Synonyms
Adjective
- constant
- dedicated
- devoted
- devout
- down-the-line
- fast
- good
- loyal
- pious
- staunch
- stanch
- steadfast
- steady
- true
- true-blue
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective She has provided the company with many years of faithful service. He insists that he has always been faithful to his wife.
Recent Examples on the Web
Stephen Daw, Billboard, 16 Sep. 2022 In the third quarter, Tagovailoa might have caused some anxiety among the Maryland faithful. Ryan Mcfadden, Baltimore Sun, 10 Sep. 2022 To the faithful, the choice of how to respond to these sanctions is almost a moral issue. Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2022 The party faithful ultimately chose former state lawmaker Shane Hernandez as their nominee for lieutenant governor. Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 28 Aug. 2022 Under a stone archway nearby, the faithful were kneeling like feudal penitents before a timeworn statue of the Madonna and flickering candles. Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Aug. 2022 But rest assured, most of the memories are very happy for the Tide faithful. Ben Flanagan | Bflanagan@al.com, al, 16 Aug. 2022 On the plaza below, more than a thousand strong, were the Donald Trump faithful, in MAGA hats and every possible variation of red, white and blue clothing, waving the banners of the campaign. New York Times, 19 July 2022 In case folks didn’t get that memo, Sunak chose the town of Grantham to deliver a speech last week to the party faithful. William Booth, Washington Post, 15 July 2022 New York Times, 8 Aug. 2022 The company has fallen in the eyes of a number of the faithful. Rachel Lerman, Washington Post, 21 June 2022 The party faithful will want to hear how both candidates plan to champion the unity of the UK and head off support for her nationalists. Ellen Milligan, Bloomberg.com, 16 Aug. 2022 Patriarch Kirill, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, has called the war a metaphysical conflict between the faithful of God and a decadent West. Ian Lovett, WSJ, 13 Aug. 2022 Anyone who hopes to lead the party is bound to the faithful and the will of the parliamentarians. Kehinde Andrews, CNN, 8 Aug. 2022 The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder from Glendale, Ariz., is a dual-threat QB who excited the Aztec faithful in brief glimpses last season. San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2022 Burg acknowledges that a good portion of the ASU faithful is not happy with the direction of the program, which is currently under NCAA investigation into recruiting violations. Michelle Gardner, The Arizona Republic, 5 Aug. 2022 Robert Watson, a history professor at Lynn University, said modern first ladies have become effective fundraisers in their own right, popular with the party faithful, especially women. Darlene Superville, ajc, 4 Aug. 2022 See More
Adjective
Maggie Lindemann is here to bless you with a brand new album that is perhaps the most faithful to the original genre. Stephen Daw, Billboard, 16 Sep. 2022 In the third quarter, Tagovailoa might have caused some anxiety among the Maryland faithful. Ryan Mcfadden, Baltimore Sun, 10 Sep. 2022 To the faithful, the choice of how to respond to these sanctions is almost a moral issue. Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2022 The party faithful ultimately chose former state lawmaker Shane Hernandez as their nominee for lieutenant governor. Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 28 Aug. 2022 Under a stone archway nearby, the faithful were kneeling like feudal penitents before a timeworn statue of the Madonna and flickering candles. Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Aug. 2022 But rest assured, most of the memories are very happy for the Tide faithful. Ben Flanagan | Bflanagan@al.com, al, 16 Aug. 2022 On the plaza below, more than a thousand strong, were the Donald Trump faithful, in MAGA hats and every possible variation of red, white and blue clothing, waving the banners of the campaign. New York Times, 19 July 2022 In case folks didn’t get that memo, Sunak chose the town of Grantham to deliver a speech last week to the party faithful. William Booth, Washington Post, 15 July 2022 Noun
Final say belonged to the leadership shura, or council, based in the southern city of Kandahar and presided over by a supreme leader called the amir al momineen, or commander of the faithful. New York Times, 8 Aug. 2022 The company has fallen in the eyes of a number of the faithful. Rachel Lerman, Washington Post, 21 June 2022 The party faithful will want to hear how both candidates plan to champion the unity of the UK and head off support for her nationalists. Ellen Milligan, Bloomberg.com, 16 Aug. 2022 Patriarch Kirill, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, has called the war a metaphysical conflict between the faithful of God and a decadent West. Ian Lovett, WSJ, 13 Aug. 2022 Anyone who hopes to lead the party is bound to the faithful and the will of the parliamentarians. Kehinde Andrews, CNN, 8 Aug. 2022 The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder from Glendale, Ariz., is a dual-threat QB who excited the Aztec faithful in brief glimpses last season. San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2022 Burg acknowledges that a good portion of the ASU faithful is not happy with the direction of the program, which is currently under NCAA investigation into recruiting violations. Michelle Gardner, The Arizona Republic, 5 Aug. 2022 Robert Watson, a history professor at Lynn University, said modern first ladies have become effective fundraisers in their own right, popular with the party faithful, especially women. Darlene Superville, ajc, 4 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English feithful, from feith faith entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1
Noun
derivative of faithful entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing faithful
Kids Definition
faithful
adjective
faith·ful ˈfāth-fəl
1
: firm in devotion or support
a faithful friend
2
: reliable
a faithful worker
3
: true to the facts : accurate
The model was a faithful copy of my grandfather's car.
faithful 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in loyal
firm in one's allegiance to someone or something fans of the Chicago Cubs are famously faithful Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- loyal
- steadfast
- staunch
- devout
- true
- devoted
- dedicated
- good
- pious
- ardent
- steady
- constant
- fervent
- fast
- reliable
- stanch
- true-blue
- passionate
- dutiful
- trustworthy
- dependable
- responsible
- enthusiastic
- trusty
- unwavering
- resolute
- solid
- unfaltering
- down-the-line
- unhesitating
- tried
- determined
- sworn
- intent
- avid
- impassioned
- tried-and-true
- confirmed
- inveterate
- serious
- fervid
- dyed-in-the-wool
- gung ho
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unfaithful
- faithless
- disloyal
- perfidious
- fickle
- treacherous
- false
- traitorous
- untrue
- unreliable
- inconstant
- irresponsible
- untrustworthy
- recreant
- undependable
- hesitant
- faltering
- uncertain
- shaky
- dubious
- dispassionate
- uninterested
- irresolute
- apathetic
- wavering
- vacillating
2
as in accurate
following an original exactly a faithful filming of Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island Synonyms & Similar Words
- accurate
- true
- authentic
- careful
- precise
- exact
- strict
- conscientious
- realistic
- meticulous
- veracious
- authoritative
- genuine
- right
- real
- scrupulous
- lifelike
- punctilious
- bona fide
- veridical
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unfaithful
- loose
- false
- inaccurate
- corrupted
- imprecise
- careless
- inexact
- slovenly
- corrupt
- slack
- inauthentic
- erroneous
- wrong
- invalid
- untrue
- off
- incorrect
- slipshod
- unsound
- untruthful
faithful
2 of 2noun
1
as in cooperative
Synonyms & Similar Words
- cooperative
- collective
- commune
- community
- fold
- membership
- cadre
- partnership
- team
- group
- coalition
- coterie
- camp
- crew
- local
- alliance
- squad
- bloc
- clan
- junta
- body
- clique
- set
- sisterhood
- party
- circle
- sorority
- junto
- chapter
- cabal
- outfit
- confederacy
- branch
- klatch
- lot
- conspiracy
- klatsch
- camarilla
- camorra
2
as in loyalist
Synonyms & Similar Words
- loyalist
- missionary
- soldier
- apostle
- adherent
- disciple
- supporter
- votary
- proselytizer
- acolyte
- advocate
- champion
- student
- protégé
- follower
- worshipper
- devotee
- convert
- fan
- votarist
- admirer
- partizan
- worshiper
- pupil
- epigone
- liege man
- enthusiast
- partisan
- scholar
- backer
- cultist
- idolater
- sycophant
- ideologist
- idealogue
- toady
- zealot
- minion
- lackey
- idolator
- sectarian
- satellite
- camp follower
- lickspittle
- henchman
- myrmidon
- stooge
- ideologue
- yes-man
- flunkey
- apparatchik
- hanger-on
- flunky
- flunkie
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- leader
- renegade
- traitor
- apostate
- turncoat
- defector
- coryphaeus
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of faithful are constant, loyal, resolute, staunch, and steadfast. While all these words mean "firm in adherence to whatever one owes allegiance," faithful implies unswerving adherence to a person or thing or to the oath or promise by which a tie was contracted.
faithful to her promise
The words constant and faithful can be used in similar contexts, but constant stresses continuing firmness of emotional attachment without necessarily implying strict obedience to promises or vows.
constant friends
While the synonyms loyal and faithful are close in meaning, loyal implies a firm resistance to any temptation to desert or betray.
remained loyal to the czar
Although the words resolute and faithful have much in common, resolute implies firm determination to adhere to a cause or purpose.
a resolute ally
The synonyms staunch and faithful are sometimes interchangeable, but staunch suggests fortitude and resolution in adherence and imperviousness to influences that would weaken it.
a staunch defender of free speech
The meanings of steadfast and faithful largely overlap; however, steadfast implies a steady and unwavering course in love, allegiance, or conviction.
steadfast in their support