faithless
/'feiθlis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Lacking loyalty or allegiance; disloyal, treacherous: Describes a person who betrays trust, breaks promises, or is unfaithful to a person, cause, or duty.
- Not true to one's word or promise; unreliable: Describes someone who cannot be depended on to keep commitments or oaths.
- Without religious faith; unbelieving: (Less common, often archaic) Describes a person who lacks belief in a particular religion or in God.
Usage
The adjective "faithless" is used to describe a person or their actions. It carries a strong negative connotation of betrayal and unreliability. It is a formal or literary term.
Examples
- Describing a person's character:
- The king was betrayed by his faithless advisor.
- She felt abandoned by her faithless friend when she needed support the most.
- Describing an action or behavior:
- His faithless abandonment of the project left the team in chaos.
- The general was condemned for his faithless surrender to the enemy.
Advanced Usage
- In a literary or historical context: Often used to describe dramatic betrayals.
- The epic poem tells of a faithless knight who forsakes his oath.
- In a relational context: Can describe infidelity in a romantic relationship, though "unfaithful" is more common.
- (Literary) He could not forgive her faithless heart.
Variants and Related Words
- Faithlessly (adverb): In a disloyal or treacherous manner.
- He acted faithlessly, revealing the secret to their rivals.
- Faithlessness (noun): The quality or state of being faithless; disloyalty.
- His faithlessness was a shock to everyone who trusted him.
Synonyms
- Disloyal: Not loyal to a person, country, or group to which one has obligations.
- Treacherous: Guilty of or involving betrayal or deception.
- Perfidious: (Formal) Deceitful and untrustworthy.
- Unfaithful: Not faithful, especially to a spouse or partner; disloyal.
- Traitorous: Relating to or characteristic of a traitor; betraying trust.
Antonyms
- Faithful: Remaining loyal and steadfast.
- Loyal: Giving or showing firm and constant support or allegiance.
- True: Faithful or loyal.
- Trustworthy: Able to be relied on as honest or truthful.
Idioms and Phrases
- A faithless friend: A common phrase describing a person who proves disloyal.
- Beware of a faithless friend, for their betrayal cuts deepest.
- Faithless to one's word: A phrase emphasizing the breaking of a promise.
- By abandoning the agreement, he proved faithless to his word.
Adjective
- having the character of, or characteristic of, a traitor
- the faithless Benedict Arnold
- a lying traitorous insurrectionist