FEALTY Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'fealty' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of fealty are allegiance , devotion , fidelity , loyalty , and piety . While all these words mean "faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty," fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow. // fealty to the truth

Q: Where would 'allegiance' be a reasonable alternative to 'fealty'?

While the synonyms allegiance and fealty are close in meaning, allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country. // pledging allegiance

Q: In what contexts can 'devotion' take the place of 'fealty'?

The meanings of devotion and fealty largely overlap; however, devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication. // a painter's devotion to her art

Q: When could 'fidelity' be used to replace 'fealty'?

While in some cases nearly identical to fealty , fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty. // marital fidelity

Q: When would 'loyalty' be a good substitute for 'fealty'?

The words loyalty and fealty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray. // valued the loyalty of his friends

Q: When might 'piety' be a better fit than 'fealty'?

The synonyms piety and fealty are sometimes interchangeable, but piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental. // filial piety

fealty

noun

ˈfē(-ə)l-tē

Definition of fealty next

as in allegiance

adherence to something to which one is bound by a pledge or duty as much as I wanted to back my friend up, my fealty to the truth was greater, and I could not lie for him

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How is the word fealty distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of fealty are allegiance, devotion, fidelity, loyalty, and piety. While all these words mean "faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty," fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow.

fealty to the truth

Where would allegiance be a reasonable alternative to fealty?

While the synonyms allegiance and fealty are close in meaning, allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country.

pledging allegiance

In what contexts can devotion take the place of fealty?

The meanings of devotion and fealty largely overlap; however, devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication.

a painter's devotion to her art

When could fidelity be used to replace fealty?

While in some cases nearly identical to fealty, fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty.

marital fidelity

When would loyalty be a good substitute for fealty?

The words loyalty and fealty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray.

valued the loyalty of his friends

When might piety be a better fit than fealty?

The synonyms piety and fealty are sometimes interchangeable, but piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental.

filial piety

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of fealty This interpretation of the events pledges fealty to the source material, sometimes at the expense of character development, but the film’s all-star cast is more than equipped to pick up the slack. —

Lia Beck, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025 The president of a private university in Michigan whose values are based on America's founding principles is hopeful for the future of academia, despite higher education's reputation for administrative bloat and fealty to left-wing values. —

Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 28 Dec. 2025 In September Congolese politicians swore oaths of fealty to President Tshisekedi, a ritual straight out of Mobutu's playbook. —

Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 23 Nov. 2025 Spanberger and Sherrill both bound Earle-Sears and Ciattarelli tightly to Trump, insisting that each would place fealty to the president over loyalty to the state. —

Ronald Brownstein, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fealty

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fealty

Noun

Back-to-back wins for her birth country of Canada in the two-woman event in 2010 and 2014, plus another gold, after a contentious, stressful battle to switch national allegiances, for the United States, in the inaugural driver-only monobob event in Beijing.

— Sean Gregory, Time, 14 Feb. 2026
Pinheiro Braathen switched allegiance to his mother's nation of birth in 2024 after splitting from Norway's ski program.

— Sean Nevin, NBC news, 14 Feb. 2026

Definition of allegiance

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fazing

fealty

fear

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“Fealty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fealty. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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Last Updated: 15 Feb 2026 - Updated example sentences

Synonyms of fealty

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