betray

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /bəˈtreɪ/ or /bɪˈtreɪ/

• Audio (US)

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Verb

Plain form betray

Third-person singular betrays

Past tense betrayed

Past participle betrayed

Present participle betraying

Judas betraying Jesus by helping the Romans to capture him

1. If you betray someone, you cause great harm to someone who considered you a friend or ally.

   We were betrayed when he defected to the enemy.

   He betrayed the company when he sold its secrets to a competitor.

Related words

• betrayer