faithless

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "faithless" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe someone who is untrustworthy or disloyal, particularly in the context of relationships or commitments. An example: "He felt betrayed by his faithless friend." Alternative expressions include "unfaithful" and "disloyal."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Literature

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was particularly excited about seeing respected electronica giants Faithless, who will warm up the Pyramid stage before Stevie Wonder closes the festival on Sunday evening.

The Guardian - Music

His long partnership with Bird included The Long Johns, in which one interviewed the other in a series of guises as appalling establishment figures, all called George Parr – using the formula to lambaste targets including bankers, armchair generals in the Iraq war and faithless Tory MP husbands.

The Guardian

Each Monday evening from 13 April, the brewery will host "The Vicar's Inn", when Dutton will be available in the venue's Brewfactory to chat to the faithful and faithless alike.

The Guardian

They thought he was a faithless husband, she was scary and vindictive – and many have a knee-jerk dislike of all public figures anyway.

The Guardian - Opinion

"She is not at peace because she thinks I did not love her," he bugled through the tears, his faithless nose throbbing with guilt.

The Guardian

War crimes and misdemeanours The faithless masses Singh singed Leaping the wall The worth of water ReprintsPartly because of the political implications, the war-crimes trials have run into trouble before they have even started.

The Economist

But when a group of unbelievers organised a "hug an atheist day" on June 7th nobody noticed.It took the murder on August 20th of an anti-superstition campaigner to remind India of the lot of its faithless.

The Economist

And China has the world's seventh-largest Christian population, estimated at 68m.In this section Learning new lessons Faiths and the faithless ReprintsThe report also contains data on believers who do not adhere to any of the Abrahamic religions, to Hinduism or to Buddhism.

The Economist

In many parts of the Communion...there is a belief that opponents are either faithless to the tradition, or by contrast that they are cruel, judgemental, inhuman.

The Economist

It has 475,000 users.In this section Learning new lessons Faiths and the faithless ReprintsIn April two of Mr Thrun's ex-colleagues, Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, launched a rival, Coursera, with $16m in venture capital.

The Economist

War crimes and misdemeanours The faithless masses Singh singed Leaping the wall The worth of water ReprintsChina's new tactic, as far as experts can guess, is to make the use of Gmail and paid-for VPN services more inconvenient, but not to cut off access altogether.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Distinguish between the secular meaning (non-believing) and the interpersonal meaning (unfaithful) based on the surrounding context to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "faithless" as a synonym for "skeptical". While a "faithless" person may lack belief, the term often carries a heavier moral judgment of betrayal or abandonment that "skeptical" does not.

Linguistic Context

The word "faithless" functions primarily as an adjective used to attribute a specific quality of lack—either of religious belief or of fidelity—to a person, group, or entity. According to Ludwig, it modifies nouns to indicate a breach of trust or absence of spiritual conviction. It is often found in predicative positions (e.g., "he was faithless") or as an attributive modifier (e.g., "a faithless husband").

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Encyclopedias

30%

Literature & Arts

15%

Less common in

Science

5%

Social Media

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "faithless" is a versatile and potent adjective that operates in two primary semantic spheres: interpersonal betrayal and religious disbelief. Data from Ludwig indicates that it is a preferred term in high-quality publications like The Economist and The New Yorker for its descriptive weight. Whether describing a "faithless husband" or the "faithless masses", the word carries an inherent sense of loss or abandonment of standard norms. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and broad utility, making it an essential term for writers seeking to convey profound disloyalty or secularism.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unfaithful

Specific to the violation of trust or marriage vows, often with a more emotional connotation.

disloyal

Focuses on the breach of allegiance to a person, cause, or organization.

perfidious

A more literary and formal term implying a deliberate and deceitful breach of trust.

untrustworthy

Broadly describes someone whose reliability or honesty cannot be relied upon.

treacherous

Suggests a betrayal that involves hidden danger or extreme instability.

traitorous

Implies a high-level betrayal of one's country or a serious oath.

irreligious

Specifically targets the lack of religious belief or hostility toward religion.

inconstant

Refers to a lack of stability or steadiness in affection or purpose.

secular

Neutral term describing things not related to or controlled by religion.

apostate

A person who has completely abandoned a religious or political belief.

FAQs

How do I use "faithless" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe someone who has broken a promise, such as, "The king proved to be a "faithless ally" when he withdrew his troops."

What can I say instead of "faithless"?

Depending on the context, you might use "unfaithful" for relationships, "disloyal" for allegiances, or "secular" for non-religious contexts.

Is "faithless" always a negative term?

Generally, yes. In interpersonal contexts, it implies betrayal. However, in sociological contexts, it can neutrally describe a "faithless society" that lacks religious adherence.

What is the difference between "faithless" and "unfaithful"?

While similar, "unfaithful" is most commonly used for romantic infidelity, whereas "faithless" has a broader application to religious disbelief and general treachery.