betraying

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betray

An act of betraying someone means breaking their trust or doing something that hurts them.

When we say someone is betraying another person, it usually means they did something wrong to hurt their friend, family member, or partner. This can be a big deal and might even end relationships. For example, if your best friend shares a secret with someone else behind your back, you could feel betrayed. Betrayal often happens when people's trust is broken in some way - maybe someone lies to us, cheats on us, or steals something that belongs to us. It can be a really painful feeling and might take a long time to heal from.

How common is "betraying"?

Word betraying is considered rare in modern English.
It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.

Definitions

verb

To deliver into the hands of an enemy by treachery or fraud, in violation of trust; to give up treacherously or faithlessly.
Example: an officer betrayed the city
To prove faithless or treacherous to, as to a trust or one who trusts; to be false to; to deceive.
Example: My eyes have been betraying me since I turned sixty.
To violate the confidence of, by disclosing a secret, or that which one is bound in honor not to make known.
To disclose or indicate, for example something which prudence would conceal; to reveal unintentionally.
Example: Though he had lived in England for many years, a faint accent betrayed his Swedish origin.
To mislead; to expose to inconvenience not foreseen; to lead into error or sin.
To lead astray; to seduce (as under promise of marriage) and then abandon.

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sell

noun

Betrayal

Real examples of "betraying" in context

Game of Thrones Season 6: Episode #9 Clip - Battle of the Bastards (HBO)

Movie part

I will pardon these treasonous Lords for betraying my house.

0:32

We simulated if you can really reach anyone in 6 steps

Entertainment

And you go from a world where everyone's completely nice and working together to one where it's filled with nastiness and people betraying each other.

27:54