faithful
gb/fˈeɪθfəl/ us/fˈeɪθfəl/
B1
English
~ 1700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
Loyal and supportive
Always helping and not changing your support for someone or something.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is faithful to [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'faithful' with 'faith-filled', but 'faithful' usually means loyal or reliable, not necessarily religious.
Synonyms
loyal (A very close synonym, but 'loyal' can be used in slightly broader contexts.)
Antonyms
unfaithful (Direct opposite, describes someone who does not remain loyal or supportive.)
Collocations
faithful friend
|faithful supporter
|remain faithful
|faithful companion
|faithful partner
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|values
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She remained faithful to her best friend through all the hard times.
- He has always been a faithful employee of the company.
- The dog was faithful to its owner until the end.
Learner examples
- My dog is very faithful to me.
- She is a faithful friend.
- He was faithful to his team.
adjective
B2
property
2
Accurate and exact copy
Showing something exactly as it really is or was.
Usage pattern:
a faithful [copy/representation/reproduction] of [something]
Common mistake:
Some learners may think 'faithful' here means loyal, but in this context it means accurate or exact.
Synonyms
accurate (Focuses on correctness; 'faithful' may imply careful respect for the original.)
Antonyms
inaccurate (Describes something that is not correct or true to the original.)
Collocations
faithful reproduction
|faithful translation
|faithful copy
|faithful account
Themes
art
|media
|communication
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The film is a faithful adaptation of the novel.
- He gave a faithful account of what happened.
- This is a faithful reproduction of the famous painting.
Learner examples
- This is a faithful copy of the book.
- The story is a faithful report of the event.
- She made a faithful drawing of the house.
adjective
B1
property
3
Sexually or romantically exclusive
Only having a romantic or sexual relationship with one person, usually your partner.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is faithful to [partner]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'faithful' here with general loyalty; in romantic contexts it specifically means not cheating.
Synonyms
monogamous (More technical and often used in biological or social science contexts.)
Antonyms
unfaithful (Describes someone who cheats on their partner.)
Collocations
stay faithful
|remain faithful
|be faithful
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|health
Examples
- He promised to be faithful to her after they got married.
- She remained faithful to her husband for their entire marriage.
- They have been faithful partners for over twenty years.
Learner examples
- He is faithful to his wife.
- She is faithful to her boyfriend.
- They are faithful to each other.
Grammar
Dictionary form
faithful
IPA
GB/fˈeɪθfəl/
US/fˈeɪθfəl/
Syllables & stress
faith - ful (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (faith)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: faithful
Word family
Core family
faith
noun B1
faithfully
adverb B1
Related words
faithfulness
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unfaithful
adjective
unfaithfully
adverb
unfaithfulness
noun
faithless
adjective
Expressions
faithful representation
3/fˈeɪθfəl ɹˌɛpɹɪzɛntˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
Accurate depiction of original
A picture, story, or copy that shows something exactly as it is or was.
Examples
- The documentary offers a faithful representation of life in the village.
- This painting is a faithful representation of the landscape.
remain faithful to
2/ɹɪmˈeɪn fˈeɪθfəl tə/
fixed phrase
Continue being loyal/supportive
To keep giving help and support to someone or something over time.
Examples
- She remained faithful to her political beliefs despite criticism.
- He remained faithful to his childhood friends.
stay faithful to
1/stˈeɪ fˈeɪθfəl tə/
fixed phrase
Not change loyalty/romantic exclusivity
To not cheat on someone or stop supporting them.
Examples
- He stayed faithful to his wife even during long separations.
- They stayed faithful to their team through many losing seasons.