Synonyms: These adjectives mean not true to duty or obligation. Faithless and unfaithful imply failure to adhere to promises, obligations, or allegiances: was faithless to her ideals; an unfaithful spouse. False emphasizes deceitfulness: "To thine own self be true,/And it must follow, as the night the day,/Thou canst not then be false to any man" (Shakespeare). One who is disloyal betrays an allegiance: disloyal staff members who exposed the senator's indiscretions. Traitorous most commonly refers to disloyalty to a government or nation: a traitorous double agent. Treacherous suggests a propensity for betraying trust or faith: "She gave the treacherous impulse time to subside" (Henry James). Perfidious suggests vileness of behavior and often deceitfulness: a perfidious assassin.