betrayed
v. · adj.-
1 broken trust (v.) B2 Upper Intermediateto have hurt someone who trusted you by helping their enemy or being dishonest.
to have been disloyal to a person, country, or group by acting in the interest of an opponent.
ExampleHe felt hurt because his best friend betrayed his secret to the whole school.
ExampleThe intelligence officer was convicted after it was discovered he had betrayed his country by selling classified documents to a foreign power.
UsageTransitive; requires a direct object representing the person or entity whose trust was broken.
- deceived
- double crossed
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2 revealed a secret (v.) C1 Advanced Literaryto have accidentally shown a feeling or a secret that you wanted to hide.
to have unintentionally revealed information or an internal emotional state.
ExampleHis shaking hands betrayed how nervous he really was during the interview.
ExampleAlthough she maintained a calm and professional exterior, the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her deep anxiety about the board's decision.
UsageOften used with abstract subjects like 'eyes', 'voice', or 'expression'.
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3 feeling hurt by disloyalty (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediatefeeling sad and angry because someone you trusted was not loyal to you.
experiencing the emotional distress resulting from a violation of trust or a breach of confidence.
ExampleShe felt betrayed when she found out they had started the project without her.
ExampleThe employees felt deeply betrayed by the management's sudden decision to outsource their department after years of loyal service.
UsageUsed as a predicative adjective after verbs like 'feel' or 'look'.