faithlessly
faithlessly — adverb
1. in a way that involves being sexually unfaithful to a spouse or long-term romant
in a way that involves being sexually unfaithful to a spouse or long-term romantic partner; breaking a promise of romantic exclusivity.
Niran discovered that his wife had been acting faithlessly with a colleague for several months.
faithlessly with [someone] — specifying the person involved
Lucía ended the relationship after learning her partner had behaved faithlessly behind her back.
collocation: behave faithlessly
Wei acted faithlessly toward a partner by secretly dating an ex for months before the truth came out.
Mira found old love letters in the drawer and realised her husband had been living faithlessly for years.
- unfaithfully
more common in everyday use; faithlessly is more formal and dramatic
- adulterously
specifically refers to a married person having an affair; faithlessly can also apply to non-married couples
- faithfully
the direct opposite in romantic contexts
- loyally
broader in scope, but used in romantic contexts too
用法筆記
Frequently appears in formal writing about marital disputes or dramatic narratives. Carries stronger emotional weight than 'unfaithfully'.
2. in a way that shows a complete lack of loyalty or trustworthiness toward someone
in a way that shows a complete lack of loyalty or trustworthiness toward someone who relied on you; with deliberate betrayal of confidence or duty.
Vikram felt deeply betrayed when his closest business partner acted faithlessly and shared company secrets.
collocation: act faithlessly
Talia trusted her assistant, then discovered he had been working faithlessly for a rival firm.
faithlessly + prepositional phrase: working faithlessly for [someone]
Sivan discovered that her long-time lawyer had been working faithlessly for her competitors, sharing confidential information.
The company director fired his accountant for acting faithlessly with client funds.
- disloyally
less intense; faithlessly emphasises broken trust more strongly
- treacherously
implies active deception and danger; faithlessly can be passive
- perfidiously
very formal and literary; faithlessly is slightly more common
- loyally
the general opposite in trust contexts
- faithfully
emphasises steady commitment
用法筆記
Applicable to any relationship of trust — personal, professional, or political. More formal and emphatic than 'disloyally'.
3. in a way that shows no belief in God, gods, or any religious system; living or a
in a way that shows no belief in God, gods, or any religious system; living or acting without religious conviction.
Ada lived her entire life faithlessly, never entering a temple or offering a single prayer.
lived faithlessly — describes a lifelong state
Esme went through life faithlessly, never finding comfort in religious rituals or spiritual teachings.
post-verbal position: went through life faithlessly
The villagers regarded the stranger with suspicion because he lived faithlessly and never attended church.
Inês raised her children faithlessly, teaching them to question all religious claims instead of accepting doctrine.
- godlessly
more confrontational and judgmental in tone; faithlessly is more neutral
- unbelievingly
describes a mindset rather than a behaviour; faithlessly can describe both
用法筆記
Common in religious or theological texts or historical accounts. Describes active absence of belief, not merely non-participation in religious rituals.