betrayed

[ bih-treyd ]

adjective

1. delivered or exposed to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty:

   After being double-crossed by one of his own, the betrayed agent sought retribution against the intelligence service.

2. not guarded, maintained, or fulfilled faithfully:

   The political history of that nation is a painful one, full of betrayed promises and almost continuous war.

3. having one’s hopes or expectations disappointed, especially through abandonment or unfaithfulness:

   For a betrayed spouse, the affair can be the most devastating experience of a lifetime.

4. revealed or disclosed in violation of confidence:

   In the underground economy, a betrayed secret is lethal to any operation.

5. deceived, misguided, or seduced:

   I’m expecting a thunderous reaction from the betrayed public as the disastrous effects of these policies strike them personally.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of betray.

Other Words From

• un·be·trayed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of betrayed¹

First recorded in 1605–15; betray ( def ) + -ed ²( def ) for the adjective senses; betray ( def ) + -ed ¹( def ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

The Scottish Conservatives say victims are being "betrayed".

From BBC

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said that while farmers felt "betrayed" the union did not condone direct action such as withholding food from supermarkets.

From BBC

"He has betrayed not just the BBC, but audiences who put their trust in him."

From BBC

Asked whether he accepted that farmers felt betrayed over the changes, Sir Keir said “it's very important that we support farmers.”

From BBC

She felt "betrayed" and worried because "you never know what you're going to be paying" every month.

From BBC

Related Words

• misled
• tricked