American English

How to pronounce betrays

verbB2Common word
bihtRAYZ

/bɪt̚ˈɹeɪz/

2 syllables · Stress the second syllable.

Related entry: betray

To be disloyal to someone who trusts you, especially by helping an enemy or doing something harmful.

Practice out loud

Meanings & examples

verb

To be disloyal to someone who trusts you, especially by helping an enemy or doing something harmful.

He betrayed his closest friend.

She felt betrayed by her business partner.

Common phrases & grammar

betray someone's trust · betray a friend · betray your country

betray someone

betray someone's trust

verb

To reveal a secret or private information, especially when this harms someone or breaks their trust.

He betrayed our secret to the press.

Please don't betray my confidence.

Common phrases & grammar

betray a secret · betray someone's confidence

betray a secret

betray someone's confidence

verb

To show a hidden feeling, thought, or fact without meaning to.

Her voice betrayed her fear.

His smile betrayed that he was nervous.

Common phrases & grammar

betray fear · betray emotion · betray signs of nervousness

something betrays a feeling

something betrays that someone is worried

Useful expressions

betray someone's trust

to be disloyal to someone who trusted you

He betrayed my trust by sharing my private messages.

betray a confidence

to reveal a secret that someone shared with you

I promised not to betray her confidence.

Related words & forms

The past and past participle are both betrayed. Write betrayed, not betrayd.