disloyal

adjective

dis·​loy·​al (ˌ)dis-ˈlȯi(-ə)l 

: lacking in loyalty

also : showing an absence of allegiance, devotion, obligation, faith, or support

his disloyal refusal to help his friend

disloyally

(ˌ)dis-ˈlȯi-ə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• faithless
• false
• fickle
• inconstant
• perfidious
• recreant
• traitorous
• treacherous
• unfaithful
• untrue

Choose the Right Synonym for disloyal

faithless, false, disloyal, traitorous, treacherous, perfidious mean untrue to what should command one's fidelity or allegiance.

faithless applies to any failure to keep a promise or pledge or any breach of allegiance or loyalty.

faithless allies

false stresses the fact of failing to be true in any manner ranging from fickleness to cold treachery.

betrayed by false friends

disloyal implies a lack of complete faithfulness to a friend, cause, leader, or country.

disloyal to their country

traitorous implies either actual treason or a serious betrayal of trust.

traitorous acts punishable by death

treacherous implies readiness to betray trust or confidence.

a treacherous adviser

perfidious adds to faithless the implication of an incapacity for fidelity or reliability.

a perfidious double-crosser

Examples of disloyal in a Sentence

It would be disloyal to abandon them.

we sensed that he was disloyal and would eventually turn on us

Recent Examples on the Web

Loyalty-first governance Trump has intensified his efforts to reshape the government in his image, purging officials considered disloyal and politicizing civil service and national security roles. —Mark K. Updegrove, Time, 29 Apr. 2025

America Great Again base as disloyal or insufficiently conservative. —Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 26 Apr. 2025

His return to Michigan in 2023 failed to appease Democrats, who labeled him a disloyal opportunist in his race against Ms. Slotkin. —Taylor Robinson, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025

As the Times reports, the first stars Arthur’s nephew, Sir Gawain, a knight who faces off with Germanic Saxons invading from mainland Europe and disloyal English nobility—including his father. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French desleial, desloial, from des- dis- + leal loyal

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disloyal

• loyal
• royal
• pennyroyal

Kids Definition

disloyal

adjective

dis·​loy·​al (ˈ)dis-ˈlȯi(-ə)l 

: lacking in loyalty

disloyally

-ˈlȯi-ə-lē 

adverb

disloyalty

-ˈlȯi(-ə)l-tē

noun