Word: betrayed (verb, past tense)

Associations

"Betrayed" means to be deceived or harmed by someone you trusted. It often involves a sense of disappointment or disloyalty.

• She felt betrayed when her best friend shared her secret with others. (This shows the feelings of hurt and disappointment.)
• He betrayed his country by spying for a foreign enemy. (Here, it highlights a serious lack of loyalty.)
• The employee felt betrayed after being passed over for promotion. (This illustrates feelings of unfairness and disappointment in a trusted workplace relationship.)

The synonym “deceived” is similar but emphasizes trickery or misleading information. "Betrayed" often has a stronger emotional connection and implies a deeper sense of trust that has been broken.

Substitution

You can use other phrases such as:

• "let down" — which suggests disappointment but may not carry the same emotional weight as "betrayed."
• "backstabbed" — which involves betrayal, particularly in a sneaky or underhanded way.
• "disloyal" — refers to someone who does not show loyalty but might not carry the same personal feeling of being betrayed.

Deconstruction

The root word "betray" comes from Old French "betrayer," meaning to deliver or give away. The suffix "-ed" indicates that this is the past tense form. The action of betraying involves giving away trust or confidence someone placed in you.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where you felt betrayed? How did it affect your relationship with that person?
• Do you think there are different degrees of betrayal? For example, is sharing a secret the same as betraying a country?
• In what other situations can trust be broken, and how does betrayal impact different relationships—like friends, family, or work?