traitorous

adjective

trai·​tor·​ous ˈtrā-tə-rəs  ˈtrā-trəs 

1

: guilty or capable of treason

2

: constituting treason

traitorous activities

traitorously adverb

Synonyms

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

Choose the Right Synonym for traitorous

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 traitorous in a Sentence

when our coach took a job at a rival college, a few traitorous players went right along with him

Recent Examples on the Web

Guinevere, usually relegated to the thankless role of traitorous wife, acts here as Arthur’s beloved confidante. —Elizabeth Hand, Washington Post, 16 July 2024

And somewhere between them on the war/peace continuum sit the men on Rhaenyra’s borderline traitorous council. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 30 June 2024

Simultaneously, Hal is on a call with President Rayburn to brief him on Penn's traitorous schemes. —Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024

Assassinations first target Republicans deemed traitorous. —Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

traitorous

adjective

trai·​tor·​ous ˈtrāt-ə-rəs 

ˈtrā-trəs

1

: guilty or capable of treason

2

: amounting to treason

traitorous acts