faithful

1 of 2

adjective

faith·​ful ˈfāth-fəl How to pronounce faithful (audio)
Synonyms of faithful
1
: steadfast in affection or allegiance : loyal
a faithful friend
2
: firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty : conscientious
a faithful employee
3
: given with strong assurance : binding
a faithful promise
4
: true to the facts, to a standard, or to an original
a faithful copy
5
obsolete : full of faith
faithfully
ˈfāth-fə-lē How to pronounce faithful (audio)
adverb
faithfulness noun

faithful

2 of 2

noun

1
plural in construction
a
: church members in full communion and good standing
—used with the
b
: the body of believers in Islam
—used with the
2
plural faithful or faithfuls : one who is faithful
especially : a loyal follower, member, or fan
party faithfuls

Synonyms of faithful

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Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for faithful

faithful, loyal, constant, staunch, steadfast, resolute mean firm in adherence to whatever one owes allegiance.

faithful implies unswerving adherence to a person or thing or to the oath or promise by which a tie was contracted.

faithful to her promise

loyal implies a firm resistance to any temptation to desert or betray.

remained loyal to the czar

constant stresses continuing firmness of emotional attachment without necessarily implying strict obedience to promises or vows.

constant friends

staunch suggests fortitude and resolution in adherence and imperviousness to influences that would weaken it.

a staunch defender of free speech

steadfast implies a steady and unwavering course in love, allegiance, or conviction.

steadfast in their support

resolute implies firm determination to adhere to a cause or purpose.

a resolute ally

Examples of faithful in a Sentence

Adjective She has provided the company with many years of faithful service. He insists that he has always been faithful to his wife.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
And most simulants of lunar material are faithful in their geological characteristics, to simulate the lunar surface and its dust, rather than the precise chemistry within. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026 New York will be blessed to have someone so faithful to his truest loves. — Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026
Noun
That continuity may help lead the FromSoftware faithful into this unknown when the game launches later this year. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026 In a relief to the Blaugrana faithful then, all three players have been registered without fuss and could technically feature for FC Barcelona against Elche. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for faithful

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English feithful, from feith faith entry 1 + -ful -ful entry 1

Noun

derivative of faithful entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of faithful was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing faithful

Rhymes for faithful

See All Rhymes for faithful

Browse Nearby Words

faither
faithful
faithfully
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Cite this Entry

“Faithful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faithful. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

faithful

1 of 2 adjective
faith·​ful ˈfāth-fəl How to pronounce faithful (audio)
1
: loyal sense 1b
a faithful friend
2
: firm in keeping promises or in fulfilling duties
a faithful worker
3
: true to the facts : accurate
faithful copy
faithfully
-fə-lē How to pronounce faithful (audio)
adverb
faithfulness noun

faithful

2 of 2 noun
plural faithful or faithfuls
: one that has faith or is faithful
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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