unfaithful

[ uhn-feyth-fuhl ]

adjective

1. not faithful; false to duty, obligation, or promises; disloyal:

   Given how unfaithful the party has been to voters, it would be surprising if they won.

   Synonyms: untrustworthy, recreant, treacherous, deceitful

2. not sexually loyal to a spouse or lover; adulterous:

   She was concerned her husband would be unfaithful when he travelled.

3. not accurate or complete; inexact:

   The book was an unfaithful translation of the original.

   Synonyms: untrue, imprecise

4. Obsolete. without religious faith; unbelieving.

unfaithful

/ ʌnˈfeɪθfʊl /

adjective

1. not true to a promise, vow, etc
2. not true to a wife, husband, lover, etc, esp in having sexual intercourse with someone else
3. inaccurate; inexact; unreliable; untrustworthy

   unfaithful copy

4. obsolete.
   not having religious faith; infidel
5. obsolete.
   not upright; dishonest

Derived Forms

• unˈfaithfulness, noun
• unˈfaithfully, adverb

Other Words From

• un·faith·ful·ly adverb
• un·faith·ful·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unfaithful¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English unfeithful, unfaithful; un- ¹ + faithful ( def )

Example Sentences

During the trial, Holly has been portrayed by him to be a nasty, unfaithful girlfriend who had multiple boyfriends, this could not be further from the truth.

From BBC

Stewart said the act was “neither naughty nor unfaithful.”

From Salon

The word has sexual connotations, too, meaning a man whose female partner is unfaithful.

From Los Angeles Times

They divorced after he admitted to being unfaithful during the marriage.

From BBC

The construction worker was filmed tearfully pleading: "I swear to God, I am being so straight... I have not been unfaithful to her."

From BBC

Related Words

• cheating
• untrue