1
as in crosses
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reveals
to make known (something abstract) through outward signs
his face betrayed his exasperation with his nosy neighbor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tempts
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of betrays
Parisian purists say the move betrays the artistry and craftsmanship of France’s tradition of couture.
—
NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Interventionist industrial policy betrays that legacy.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
This must’ve been a dream for someone whose personal style—if not his work—betrays the longing of a hippie born too late (in 1967), and in the wrong place to have been part of the vanguard of the first peace and love trippers.
—Sarah Mower, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2025
Taylor owns the first third of the film with a righteous fury that only betrays an inner vulnerability at the most crucial moments.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Netflix After Jake betrays Vince by tricking him into revealing his whereabouts to Mancuso and his lackey Babbitt (Chris Coy) to protect Vince's daughter Gen (Odessa Young) and get her to safety, Jake rushes to help Vince once again escape a vengeful Mancuso's clutches.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
China consistently betrays these principles, of course.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Surely, the look suggests, my choice betrays a Freudian complex best left uninterrogated.
—Sam Sussman
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
At under $16, toss it in your bag now and thank yourself the next time your battery betrays you.
—PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Interventionist industrial policy betrays that legacy.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
This must’ve been a dream for someone whose personal style—if not his work—betrays the longing of a hippie born too late (in 1967), and in the wrong place to have been part of the vanguard of the first peace and love trippers.
—Sarah Mower, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2025
Taylor owns the first third of the film with a righteous fury that only betrays an inner vulnerability at the most crucial moments.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Netflix After Jake betrays Vince by tricking him into revealing his whereabouts to Mancuso and his lackey Babbitt (Chris Coy) to protect Vince's daughter Gen (Odessa Young) and get her to safety, Jake rushes to help Vince once again escape a vengeful Mancuso's clutches.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
China consistently betrays these principles, of course.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Surely, the look suggests, my choice betrays a Freudian complex best left uninterrogated.
—Sam Sussman
september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
At under $16, toss it in your bag now and thank yourself the next time your battery betrays you.
—PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betrays
Verb
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Schuster said the angle at which the landing area crosses the Fujian’s deck is only 6 degrees off center, compared with 9 degrees on the US carriers, limiting space between the landing strip and the forward two catapults.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
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Edashia Caraway, who had travelled to New Orleans for a concert, was struck dead on the Twin Span bridge, which crosses the east side of Lake Pontchartrain in southern Louisiana from New Orleans to Slidell.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Moore’s journey reveals how Black Nationalism emerged not simply as a rejection of American ideals, but as a demand for their true fulfillment.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The shuffle in leadership also reveals internal disagreements within the administration about enforcement strategy.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Unwind Along the Coast Zanzibar, a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa, tempts with spice tours, rooftop cocktails, and sunset dhow sails.—
Karin Jones,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Sep. 2025
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The device contains, among other things, doorways to other dimensions, including one that tempts Peacemaker with a seemingly storybook version of his broken family.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Users typed a url in the navigation bar, or typed a search query in that same space—a feature that Opera first pioneered but which was soon copied by Google—and the browser takes the user to that web address or a search results page, which displays a list of links.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The counter displays a little extra character thanks to the decorative ogee edges.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Everything about the scene seduces the viewer into what dining while traveling in the most luxurious fashion could be, and once was.—
Kristin L. Wolfe,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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In his youth, the blue-eyed Stamp was widely considered one of the most handsome men onscreen, and Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini used that to peculiar effect in Teorema (1968), casting the actor as a nameless and wordless visitor who seduces an entire household.—
Rhett Bartlett,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The clip, just over a minute long, shows officers shouting commands as a woman in a keffiyeh steps past a blue line painted on the property.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
26 Oct. 2025
-
FactSet data shows that more than three-quarters of the companies that have so far posted results exceeded analysts' earnings estimates.—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The poet titillates, commands by images—and only thus persuades.—
Elaine L. Wang
September 11,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
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Cherry persuades Harriet to publicly expose Laura, to talk to journalists and manufacture a viral story.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Chenhao Hu, a doctoral student at Penn Engineering and the study’s first author, said the coral’s skeleton demonstrates how nature can create materials with remarkable adaptability, which could inspire new technologies for human use.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Oct. 2025
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Mercedez is an outstanding student who demonstrates strong academic dedication alongside her extracurricular commitments.—
Erick Trevino,
AZCentral.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Betrays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betrays. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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