faithful

faithful — adjective

1. always staying with and giving support to a person, group, or set of beliefs, es

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

always staying with and giving support to a person, group, or set of beliefs, especially during difficult times.

Example

Diya has been a faithful friend to Lakan since they were young children.

collocation: faithful friend

The school's faithful donors continued to give money even during the recession.

attributive use: faithful + noun

Common collocations
  • faithful friend
  • faithful supporter
  • faithful companion
  • faithful servant
  • faithful ally
  • remain faithful to
  • stay faithful to
Synonyms
  • loyal

    the most direct synonym, used in similar contexts of personal or organizational support

  • devoted

    suggests stronger emotional attachment and dedication

  • steadfast

    more formal, emphasizing that support never wavers over time

  • trustworthy

    focuses on being reliable rather than on emotional loyalty

Antonyms
  • disloyal

    the direct opposite, meaning not giving support

  • unfaithful

    carries a stronger sense of betrayal

Grammar Patterns

faithful + to + noun phrase

faithful + noun

Usage Note

Often followed by 'to' to name the person, group, or belief being supported: faithful to one's promises.

Common Mistakes

She was faithful with her job for many years.
She was faithful to her job for many years.
The correct preposition after 'faithful' is 'to', not 'with'.

2. having only one sexual or romantic partner and not starting a secret relationshi

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

having only one sexual or romantic partner and not starting a secret relationship with another person.

Example

Elena promised to be faithful to Selim for the rest of their lives together.

faithful + to + person

After forty years of marriage, they were still completely faithful to each other.

adverb + faithful: completely faithful

Common collocations
  • faithful husband
  • faithful wife
  • faithful partner
  • remain faithful
  • be faithful to
  • stay faithful
Synonyms
  • true

    common in romantic contexts; often used in 'stay true to someone'

  • monogamous

    more technical or formal; describes a relationship structure rather than personal behaviour

  • committed

    broader meaning that includes emotional as well as sexual fidelity

Antonyms
  • unfaithful

    the standard opposite in romantic relationships

  • cheating

    informal; describes the act of being unfaithful

Grammar Patterns

faithful + to + noun phrase (person)

Usage Note

This sense is most common in the context of marriage or long-term romantic relationships. The opposite is 'unfaithful' or 'cheating'.

Common Mistakes

He wanted to be faithful for his girlfriend.
He wanted to be faithful to his girlfriend.
Use 'to', not 'for', after 'faithful'.

3. continuing to follow a tradition, custom, or set of rules because you believe in

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

continuing to follow a tradition, custom, or set of rules because you believe in them.

Example

The Watanabe family remained faithful to their New Year traditions across five generations.

faithful + to + tradition

Maeve's grandmother was faithful to the old recipes passed down through the family.

Common collocations
  • faithful to tradition
  • faithful to custom
  • faithful follower
  • remain faithful to
  • stay faithful to
Synonyms
  • true

    common in 'true to tradition'; less formal than 'faithful'

  • devoted

    suggests a stronger emotional connection to the tradition

  • observant

    used especially for religious or cultural practices

Antonyms
  • unfaithful

    rare in this context; 'disloyal' or 'rebellious' is more natural

Grammar Patterns

faithful + to + noun phrase (tradition/rule)

Usage Note

Frequently appears with 'remain faithful to' followed by traditions, customs, practices, or a guiding vision.

4. showing every detail of an original version in an exact way, without changing an

4.adjectiveB2
Definition

showing every detail of an original version in an exact way, without changing anything.

Example

The new film is a faithful adaptation of the popular graphic novel series.

attributive: faithful adaptation

Aaron made a faithful copy of the painting, matching every brushstroke with care.

Common collocations
  • faithful copy
  • faithful adaptation
  • faithful translation
  • faithful reproduction
  • faithful version
  • faithful to the original
Synonyms
  • accurate

    focuses on factual correctness rather than stylistic fidelity

  • true

    often followed by 'to' as in 'true to the original'; slightly less formal

  • exact

    emphasises precision in every detail, with no changes at all

Antonyms
  • inaccurate

    the most general opposite, meaning not correct in details

  • loose

    describes a version that takes many liberties with the original

Grammar Patterns

faithful + to + noun phrase (original)

faithful + noun (copy/adaptation)

Usage Note

Commonly used to describe translations, adaptations, copies, and reproductions of artistic or factual works.

5. believing in and regularly taking part in the activities of a particular religio

5.adjectiveB2
Definition

believing in and regularly taking part in the activities of a particular religion.

Example

Defne comes from a faithful family that attends the Buddhist temple every week.

attributive: faithful family

Brandon grew up in a faithful household that observed all major religious holidays.

Common collocations
  • faithful member
  • faithful follower
  • faithful congregation
  • faithful believer
Synonyms
  • devout

    the closest synonym; suggests strong personal devotion

  • pious

    emphasises strict observance of religious duties; can sound formal or critical

  • religious

    a more general term that does not necessarily imply active practice

Antonyms
  • irreligious

    formal; not showing interest in religion

  • unbelieving

    describes someone who does not hold religious beliefs

Grammar Patterns

faithful + noun (member/follower)

the + faithful

Usage Note

Often used before a noun describing a person's role in a religious community, such as 'faithful follower' or 'faithful member'.

faithful — noun

Word family

  • faith
    nounB1
  • faithfully
    adverbB2
  • faithfulness
    nounB2
  • unfaithful
    adjectiveB2
  • unfaithfully
    adverbC1
  • faithless
    adjectiveC1
  • fidelity
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe someone who can be relied upon, but they differ in emphasis. 'Loyal' is the closest synonym and is the most versatile — it covers personal friendships, organisational support, and national allegiance equally well. 'Devoted' adds a layer of emotional warmth and dedication, as in 'a devoted mother' or 'a devoted fan'; it would feel out of place in a formal corporate context. 'Steadfast' is more formal and literary; it stresses that support does not weaken over time, even under pressure — 'steadfast' loyalty is tested and proven. 'Trustworthy' shifts the focus from emotional loyalty to reliability and honesty. You would call a friend 'loyal' or 'devoted,' a soldier 'loyal' or 'steadfast,' and an employee 'loyal' or 'trustworthy,' but not interchangeably. For everyday use, 'loyal' and 'faithful' are the most interchangeable pair.

loyal ↗devoted ↗steadfasttrustworthy ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • always faithful
  • completely faithful
  • entirely faithful
  • perfectly faithful

Phrases

  • remain faithful to
  • stay faithful to
  • be faithful to

Prepositions

  • faithful to

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'faithful' comes from the noun 'faith' (meaning trust or belief in someone or something) plus the suffix '-ful' (meaning 'full of'). The noun 'faith' entered English from Old French 'feid' or 'feit', which came from Latin 'fidēs' (trust, belief, loyalty). The Latin root 'fidēs' is also the source of related words like 'fidelity' and 'confide'. The adjective 'faithful' has been in English since the 1300s, originally in religious contexts meaning 'full of faith in God', and later extended to describe loyalty between people.