faithful 1 of 2

faithful

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word faithful distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of faithful are constant, loyal, resolute, staunch, and steadfast. While all these words mean "firm in adherence to whatever one owes allegiance," faithful implies unswerving adherence to a person or thing or to the oath or promise by which a tie was contracted.

faithful to her promise

When might constant be a better fit than faithful?

The words constant and faithful can be used in similar contexts, but constant stresses continuing firmness of emotional attachment without necessarily implying strict obedience to promises or vows.

constant friends

When would loyal be a good substitute for faithful?

While the synonyms loyal and faithful are close in meaning, loyal implies a firm resistance to any temptation to desert or betray.

remained loyal to the czar

When is it sensible to use resolute instead of faithful?

Although the words resolute and faithful have much in common, resolute implies firm determination to adhere to a cause or purpose.

a resolute ally

When can staunch be used instead of faithful?

The synonyms staunch and faithful are sometimes interchangeable, but staunch suggests fortitude and resolution in adherence and imperviousness to influences that would weaken it.

a staunch defender of free speech

When could steadfast be used to replace faithful?

The meanings of steadfast and faithful largely overlap; however, steadfast implies a steady and unwavering course in love, allegiance, or conviction.

steadfast in their support

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of faithful
Adjective
The dog that played Dorothy’s faithful Toto was injured when someone stepped on it. Eric Andersson, People.com, 28 Nov. 2024 More charges to follow Indigenous faithful and Christians work with environmentalists to conserve India’s sacred forests What are sacred forests? San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
With 38 points already under his belt by the end of the third quarter, the Knicks faithful welcomed Anunoby to the bench with thunderous chants of his name. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 26 Nov. 2024 Still, the tantalizingly close calls stir hope amid his faithful. Justin Ray, The Athletic, 10 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for faithful 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faithful
Adjective
  • Surpassing 1,000 pages, the tome should be long enough to keep Sanderson's legion of loyal fans sated at least for awhile.
    Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
  • The team began a quick decline after that, a slide that bottomed out last season when the Galaxy fired longtime president Chris Klein amid an embarrassing fan boycott that saw the club’s most loyal supporters refuse to attend matches.
    Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Switch to Visible by Verizon Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
    Kasey Caminiti, USA TODAY, 8 Dec. 2024
  • By seeking a forensic examination to access text messages and metadata, the plaintiffs aimed to move beyond potentially unreliable screenshots to establish a full and accurate picture of the communications, and the court agreed.
    Lars Daniel, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The loans and grants are the result of years of work, led by Tri-State and other stakeholders, to support legislation to assist electric cooperatives in their energy transitions.
    Llewellyn King, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
  • With more than 500 Champagne houses and grower cooperatives in the Champagne region of France, there are a multitude of choices.
    Liz Thach, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Trump has nominated Kash Patel, a loyalist attorney, to take over the FBI when his second term begins in January.
    David Sivak, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Noem is a long-time Trump loyalist who was believed be a contender for Vice President.
    Sara Dorn, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • His refusal to take his daughters seriously—which stems from his steadfast commitment to his own beliefs—leads them to mistrust him in turn, creating a grim, seemingly unbreakable cycle.
    Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024
  • The Justice Department is steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans are protected.
    Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Worse still, the falsehood was a double-down of the AI insisting that the remark was true.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Just Saturday against the New Jersey Devils, that seemed true in a loss.
    Scott Powers, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Charles Gaston Dumont was born on March 26, 1929, in Cahors, a commune in southwestern France, before his father, a boilermaker, and his mother, a coffee roaster, moved the family to Toulouse, about 70 miles to the south.
    Alex Williams, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024
  • Also in attendance are poet Verandah Porche, a longtime member of one of the ’60s communes chronicled in the film, and folk musician Patti Carpenter, who sings several songs on the soundtrack.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • National Syrian Army soldiers celebrate after opposition forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took control of the Hama city center and surrounding villages on Dec. 6, 2024, in Hama, Syria.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Still, for a long time, the main difficulty for soldiers who needed amputations was surviving long after the operation.
    Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near faithful

Cite this Entry

“Faithful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faithful. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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