1
as in infidelity
lack of faithfulness especially to one's husband or wife
his wife's perfidy was a moment of uncharacteristic weakness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in treachery
the act or fact of violating the trust or confidence of another
the full cost—both in compromised intelligence and in human life—of the double agent's perfidy is not yet known
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perfidy
All of these glinty and high-relief performances leave the central figure seeming—despite his own foul perfidies—not exactly innocent, but without control.
—
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2024
Jane’s fiercely unforgiving tone was adopted by militant Irish nationalists for whom the famine stood as the ultimate proof of English perfidy.
—Fintan O'Toole, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
Those intrepid few who still clung to the belief that American perfidy shielded Duke’s players from true justice just had the rug pulled out from under them by Mangum herself.
—The Editors, National Review, 17 Dec. 2024
Putin inundates Ukraine’s airwaves with propaganda about the West’s perfidy, the West’s agonizingly slow and insufficient support of Ukraine, the West’s seeming willingness to bleed Ukraine as a proxy, Zelensky’s anti-democratic centralization of power, and the like.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for perfidy
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2024
Jane’s fiercely unforgiving tone was adopted by militant Irish nationalists for whom the famine stood as the ultimate proof of English perfidy.
—Fintan O'Toole, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
Those intrepid few who still clung to the belief that American perfidy shielded Duke’s players from true justice just had the rug pulled out from under them by Mangum herself.
—The Editors, National Review, 17 Dec. 2024
Putin inundates Ukraine’s airwaves with propaganda about the West’s perfidy, the West’s agonizingly slow and insufficient support of Ukraine, the West’s seeming willingness to bleed Ukraine as a proxy, Zelensky’s anti-democratic centralization of power, and the like.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for perfidy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perfidy
Noun
-
Huston could recognize the ways of that brood: her own renowned and eccentric family inhabited that domestic world of privilege, power, infidelity, and intrigue that became Christie’s writerly milieu.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
15 Apr. 2025
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The exciting news comes after a tumultuous few months for Coi, who kicked off 2025 by announcing a child with Trippie before accusing him of infidelity.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
But the most intriguing finish—and the most on-brand level of treachery from Heyman—would be Paul stabbing both Roman and Punk in the back for Rollins.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Sinners is about vampires, perpetual outsiders who desperately yearn to belong, but whose silky promises are rooted in treachery.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Within the White Lotus, adultery abounds, couples engage in power plays, and flirtatious encounters occur among old friends and strangers alike.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2025
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In his 1991 book The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal, biologist Jared Diamond claimed the adultery rate among humans was between 5% and 30%.—
ByAndrew Curry,
science.org,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The dream scenario, for many fans at least, was for Kingston and Woods’ betrayal of Big E to lead to an in-ring return for Big E, a former WWE Champion.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
-
First, of course, is the question of how Matty and Olympia will reckon with Julian's betrayal and the complicity of Howard who, in addition to being Olympia's senior, is also her ex-father-in-law.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The Game is speaking up after the controversial figure attempted to call him out for disloyalty on X/Twitter.—
Jessica Bennett,
VIBE.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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The director of the National Security Agency, Gen. Timothy Haugh, was among the numerous officials far-right activist Laura Loomer urged President Donald Trump to remove during her official Oval Office meeting earlier this week, citing evidence of disloyalties, multiple sources tell ABC News.—
Will Steakin,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Sanyang spent nearly a decade in prison after being convicted of treason and fled to nearby Senegal after his release.—
Colleen Slevin,
Denver Post,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Russia accused her of raising money for Ukraine’s military and convicted her of treason, sentencing her to 12 years in prison, BBC reported last year.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perfidy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perfidy. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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