faithful

faith·ful

Use faithful in a sentence

A faithful friend.

adjective

The definition of faithful is someone who is loyal and reliable or someone with a strong religious belief.

An example of faithful is a loyal dog who always comes to sit by your side.
An example of faithful is a spouse who never cheats on you with another person.
An example of faithful is a person who adheres strictly to the tenants of the Islamic religion.

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"faithful." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 21 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/faithful>.

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faithful. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21st, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/faithful

faithful

keeping faith; maintaining allegiance; constant; loyal: faithful friends
marked by or showing a strong sense of duty or responsibility; conscientious: faithful attendance
accurate; reliable; exact: a faithful copy
Obs. full of faith, esp. religious faith

Origin of faithful

Middle English

faithful Idioms

the faithful

the true believers (in any specified religion)
the loyal adherents or supporters

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"faithful." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 21 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/faithful>.

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faithful. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21st, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/faithful

faithful

adjective

Adhering firmly and devotedly, as to a person, cause, or idea; loyal.
Engaging in sex only with one's spouse or only with one's partner in a sexual relationship.
a. Responsible; conscientious: the faithful discharge of his duties.
b. Dependable; reliable: The faithful engine started right up.
Consistent with truth or actuality: a faithful reproduction of the portrait.
Having or full of faith.

plural noun

The practicing members of a religious faith, especially of Christianity or Islam: a pilgrimage to Mecca made by the faithful.
The steadfast adherents of a faith or cause: a meeting of the party faithful.

Related Forms:

faith′ful·ly
adverb

faith′ful·ness
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"faithful." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 21 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/faithful>.

APA Style

faithful. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21st, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/faithful

faithful

faithful loyal true constant fast ¹steadfast staunch ¹

These adjectives mean adhering firmly and devotedly to someone or something that elicits or demands one's fidelity. Faithful and loyal both suggest undeviating attachment, though loyal applies more often to political allegiance: a faithful employee; a loyal citizen. True implies steadiness, sincerity, and reliability: “I would be true, for there are those who trust me” (Howard Arnold Walter). Constant stresses uniformity and invariability: “But I am constant as the northern star” (Shakespeare). Fast suggests loyalty that is not easily deflected: fast friends. Steadfast strongly implies fixed, unswerving loyalty: a steadfast ally. Staunch even more strongly suggests unshakable attachment or allegiance: “He lived and died a staunch loyalist” (Harriet Beecher Stowe).

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"faithful." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 21 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/faithful>.

APA Style

faithful. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21st, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/faithful

Adjective

(comparative more faithful, superlative most faithful)

loyal; adhering firmly to person or cause
My dog is a very faithful dog.
having faith
Some people are faithful to their god.
reliable; worthy of trust
My servant is very faithful.
consistent with reality
I would consider that a very faithful reproduction.
engaging in sexual relations only with one's spouse or long-term sexual partner
They had been faithful to each other all of their married life.

Noun

(uncountable)

The practicing members of a religion or followers of a cause.
The faithful pray five times a day.

Origin

faith +‎ -ful

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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MLA Style

"faithful." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 21 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/faithful>.

APA Style

faithful. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21st, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/faithful

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