Word
treachery
Phoneticstreach·ery
US/ˈtɹɛtʃɝi/
UK/tɹˈɛtʃəɹi/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. the act of hurting someone who trusts you, often by helping their enemies. It is a very serious form of lying or betrayal.
n. the betrayal of trust or a deceptive action that violates an established allegiance. Often carries a literary or historical tone, implying a grave moral failing.
Examples
“He was shocked by his friend's treachery.”
“The general was executed for treachery after he secretly sold military secrets to the opposing army.”
“The novel explores the psychological toll of treachery, showing how a single act of betrayal can dismantle a community's social fabric and lead to decades of resentment.”
Examples
simple
“He was shocked by his friend's treachery.”
contextual
“The general was executed for treachery after he secretly sold military secrets to the opposing army.”
complex
“The novel explores the psychological toll of treachery, showing how a single act of betrayal can dismantle a community's social fabric and lead to decades of resentment.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the quality of being treacherous; countable when referring to specific acts of betrayal.
Real-World Examples
“Loïc Félix worked his socks off as Bababeck, the duplicitous vizier whose treachery ends in the shaggy sultan giving his life to save the city.” “This particular emission is a six-part take on Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson’s timeless tale of swashbuckling adventure, high-seas treachery and thick eyebrowed youths in tiny britches wrestling with double-edged superpowers.” Etymology
From Middle English trecherie, from Old French tricherie, trecherie, from tricher, trichier (“to cheat”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/treachery