WordGarden.iofaithless
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /fˈeɪθləs/
US
- /fˈeɪθləs/
Meanings
Adjective
disloyal, untrustworthy, or not keeping faith with someone
unfaithful to a romantic or sexual partner
lacking religious faith
Beyond the definition
To be faithless is to break trust. It often describes someone who is disloyal in love, friendship, or duty. A faithless friend may betray your secrets, and a faithless lover breaks vows. The word suggests a lack of loyalty and little care for promises once made. Think of Othello, destroyed by the betrayal of the man he trusted.
Imagine a ship lost at sea, tossed by waves with no guiding star. That is what life can feel like when you are faced with faithlessness. The word describes a deep lack of loyalty, trust, or fidelity: a breaking of the bonds that hold relationships and duties together. It is more than a simple mistake; it usually suggests betrayal.
Historically, "faithless" comes from the idea of being "without faith" - not only in a religious sense, but also in the sense of trust in a person, promise, or duty. That older meaning still echoes today. A faithless servant may abandon their post, a faithless witness may lie under oath, and a faithless spouse is someone who breaks marriage vows.
But faithlessness is not limited to romance. A politician may be called faithless if they keep breaking campaign promises, and a business partner may seem faithless if they put personal gain above shared goals. The word points to a failure of loyalty, a readiness to turn away from promises, principles, or people.
Consider King Lear, betrayed by daughters who chose power over family loyalty. Their actions were not just cruel; they were faithless, breaking the foundation of the family and helping bring about tragedy. So when you encounter "faithless," think of a serious breach of trust, one that can leave damage that is hard to repair.
Examples
- 1
Romantic relationship
She ended the relationship after finding out he had been faithless.
- 2
Song lyrics
In the song, the singer cannot forgive a faithless lover.
- 3
Political promises
Some voters felt the mayor had been faithless to his promises.
- Patternfaithless to
not loyal or true to
- 4
Disloyal allies
The king was finally defeated by his own faithless allies.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- faithless lover
- faithless spouse
- faithless friend
Word family
- faithlessly
- faithlessness
Explore
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- faithlessadjective