betray
gb/bɪtɹˈeɪ/ us/bɪtɹˈeɪ/
B1
English
~ 4700
elárul, árulkodik
VERB
B1
1
elárul
B1
Usage pattern:
to betray [someone/something]
She betrayed her best friend by sharing his secret.
Elárulta a legjobb barátját azzal, hogy kiadta a titkát.
The spy betrayed his country for money.
A kém pénzért elárulta a hazáját.
I can't believe you would betray me after all we've been through.
He felt betrayed when she sided with his rival.
Learner examples
He betrayed his friend to the police.
Elárulta a barátját a rendőrségnek.
She betrayed me when she told my secret.
Elárult, amikor elmondta a titkomat.
The soldier betrayed his country.
I will never betray you.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'betray' with 'deceive'. 'Betray' usually involves breaking trust, while 'deceive' means to make someone believe something untrue.
Meaning
Be disloyal to someone
Collocations
betray a friend
|betray a trust
|betray one's country
|betray a confidence
Synonyms
deceive (Implies misleading someone, but not always involving disloyalty to a trust.)
|
double-cross (Informal; stresses cheating someone after pretending to be loyal.)
Antonyms
support (Means to help or stand by someone, the opposite of acting against them.)
|
stand by (Means to remain loyal to someone in difficulty.)
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|conflict
|law
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To hurt someone who trusts you by not being loyal or by helping their enemy.
To be disloyal to someone who trusts you, often by giving information to an enemy or acting against their interests.
VERB
B2
2
Usage pattern:
to betray [emotion/feature]
Her trembling hands betrayed her fear.
Remegő keze elárulta a félelmét.
His voice betrayed his nervousness during the interview.
Az interjú alatt a hangja elárulta, hogy ideges.
The look on his face betrayed his disappointment.
Learner examples
Her eyes betrayed her sadness.
A szeme elárulta, hogy szomorú.
His smile betrayed his true feelings.
A mosolya elárulta a valódi érzéseit.
The shaking of his hands betrayed his fear.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'betray' here always means 'to be disloyal', but in this sense it means to accidentally show something hidden.
Meaning
Reveal unintentionally
Collocations
betray nervousness
|betray ignorance
|betray one's feelings
Synonyms
reveal (General term for making something known, intentionally or not.)
|
give away (Informal; implies exposing something secret or hidden.)
Antonyms
conceal (Means to hide something so it is not seen or known.)
Themes
communication
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To show a feeling or fact without meaning to.
To show or reveal something, such as a feeling or fact, without intending to.
Grammar
Dictionary form
betray
IPA
GB/bɪtɹˈeɪ/
US/bɪtɹˈeɪ/
Syllables & stress
be - tray (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tray)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: betray
- 3rd Person Singular: betrays
- Present Participle: betraying
- Past: betrayed
Word family
Forms
betrays
verb
betraying
verb
betrayed
verb
Core family
betrayal
noun B2
Related words
betrayer
noun
Expressions
betray a confidence
1/bɪtɹˈeɪ ə kˈɑnfədəns/
fixed phrase
Reveal private information
To tell someone a secret that was told to you in private.
Examples
- She betrayed a confidence by telling the press about their conversation.
- I would never betray a confidence, no matter what.
betray someone's trust
1/bɪtɹˈeɪ sˈʌmwˌʌnz tɹˈʌst/
fixed phrase
Break someone's confidence
To do something that makes someone stop trusting you.
Examples
- He betrayed my trust when he lied about the money.
- You should never betray a child's trust.