betray
To let someone down by breaking their trust, often by giving away their secrets.
betray in a sentence
- A true friend would never betray your secret.
- The spy agreed to betray his own side for a bag of gold.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to betray?
- Adefend
- Bdouble-cross
- Csupport
- Dprotect
Show the answer
B: double-cross. The other three mean the opposite of betray.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to betray?
- Aprotect
- Bdouble-cross
- Cdeceive
Show the answer
A: protect. The other three mean nearly the same as betray.
Words that mean something similar
double-cross, deceive
Words that mean the opposite
protect, support, defend
Careful: betray is not deceive
Deceiving is tricking someone into believing something untrue. Betraying is breaking the trust of someone who relied on you. Read why children mix them up.
More words about behaviour & manners
- boisterous: Noisy, lively and full of rough energy.
- brazen: Bold and cheeky, without any shame.
- brusque: Using few words in a way that seems rude and unfriendly.
- cajole: To gently persuade someone by being nice or making promises.
- caution: The care you take to avoid danger or mistakes.
- cautious: Careful to avoid danger or mistakes.
- chaos: A state of complete confusion, where nothing is in order.
- chivalrous: Polite, kind and brave, especially towards people who need help.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test