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

Ms Trussler said during the trial MacPhail had attempted to portray her "caring, kind daughter" as a "nasty, unfaithful girlfriend" but that "could not be further from the truth".

From BBC

“This is something that happens to a lot of women who get blamed when they have the courage to leave an unhealthy relationship and are labeled as being unfaithful,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cheating
• untrue