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

Trump repeatedly accused DeSantis of being disloyal for running his campaign despite Trump’s endorsement during DeSantis’s 2018 gubernatorial bid. —Brett Samuels, The Hill, 4 Dec. 2024

Fearing that what might have been welcome yesterday could be deemed disloyal today, companies, researchers, and students have pulled back from many of the activities that have underpinned U.S. economic and scientific leadership. —Jessica Chen Weiss, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2024

Not being a creature of Washington, Trump, upon winning in 2016, naively put his trust in plenty of disloyal Washington types who spent more time throwing monkey wrenches at him than good advice. —Michael Zais, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Nov. 2024

In the speech itself, Harris tried once again to gain some level of separation from Biden without being disloyal toward him. —Niall Stanage, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024

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

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