faithful
faithful — adjective
1. always staying with and giving support to a person, group, or set of beliefs, es
always staying with and giving support to a person, group, or set of beliefs, especially during difficult times.
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
Ryo remained faithful to his principles when his colleagues disagreed with his approach.
A faithful dog stayed beside its elderly owner throughout her long recovery.
- 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
- disloyal
the direct opposite, meaning not giving support
- unfaithful
carries a stronger sense of betrayal
文法句型
faithful + to + noun phrase
faithful + noun
用法筆記
Often followed by 'to' to name the person, group, or belief being supported: faithful to one's promises.
常見錯誤
2. having only one sexual or romantic partner and not starting a secret relationshi
having only one sexual or romantic partner and not starting a secret relationship with another person.
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
The therapist asked whether either partner had ever been unfaithful during the relationship.
In many cultures, married couples are expected to remain faithful to one another.
- 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
- unfaithful
the standard opposite in romantic relationships
- cheating
informal; describes the act of being unfaithful
文法句型
faithful + to + noun phrase (person)
用法筆記
This sense is most common in the context of marriage or long-term romantic relationships. The opposite is 'unfaithful' or 'cheating'.
常見錯誤
3. continuing to follow a tradition, custom, or set of rules because you believe in
continuing to follow a tradition, custom, or set of rules because you believe in them.
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.
Even after moving to Canada, they stayed faithful to their Lunar New Year customs.
The group remains faithful to the founder's original vision for the organization.
- unfaithful
rare in this context; 'disloyal' or 'rebellious' is more natural
文法句型
faithful + to + noun phrase (tradition/rule)
用法筆記
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
showing every detail of an original version in an exact way, without changing anything.
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.
The translator created a faithful version that kept the author's original voice intact.
This old map is faithful to the coastline as it appeared in the eighteenth century.
- inaccurate
the most general opposite, meaning not correct in details
- loose
describes a version that takes many liberties with the original
文法句型
faithful + to + noun phrase (original)
faithful + noun (copy/adaptation)
用法筆記
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
believing in and regularly taking part in the activities of a particular religion.
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.
Each Friday afternoon, the faithful congregation gathers at the central mosque.
Selim has been a faithful follower of Islam since he was a young boy.
- irreligious
formal; not showing interest in religion
- unbelieving
describes someone who does not hold religious beliefs
文法句型
faithful + noun (member/follower)
the + faithful
用法筆記
Often used before a noun describing a person's role in a religious community, such as 'faithful follower' or 'faithful member'.
faithful — noun
1. a person who stays with and continues to give support to another person, a group
a person who stays with and continues to give support to another person, a group, or a cause through good and bad times.
Anthony is a party faithful who has attended every convention since 1998.
countable singular: a party faithful
The candidate thanked each faithful who had travelled far to hear her speak.
Among the crowd, the true faithfuls wore matching shirts with the team logo.
The club honoured its oldest faithful with a special award at the annual dinner.
文法句型
a + faithful
the + faithfuls (plural)
用法筆記
When used in the singular ('a faithful'), it is most common in the phrase 'a party faithful' — a loyal member of a political party. The plural 'faithfuls' also exists but is less frequent.
2. a set of people who give steady, long-term backing to a particular organization
a set of people who give steady, long-term backing to a particular organization — most often a political party.
The party faithful filled the convention hall hours before the speech began.
the party faithful (collective)
Only the most dedicated faithful attended the late-night emergency meeting.
The prime minister's message was aimed at the party faithful, not undecided voters.
The union faithful voted to approve the contract after months of negotiation.
- loyalists
the closest synonym; emphasizes unwavering political allegiance
- supporters
broader; does not imply the same depth of loyalty
- followers
more general, can apply to any leader or group
文法句型
the + faithful
the + noun + faithful
用法筆記
Always takes a plural verb. The most common form is 'the party faithful', referring to loyal supporters of a political party. Can also be used for other organizations: 'the union faithful'.
常見錯誤
3. those who follow a specific religion and regularly take part in its activities a
those who follow a specific religion and regularly take part in its activities as a community.
The faithful gathered at the cathedral for the Easter sunrise ceremony.
the faithful (religious collective)
A message from the spiritual leader was read to the faithful during evening prayers.
The mosque opened its doors wide to welcome the faithful during Ramadan.
The bishop asked the faithful to donate food and clothing for the winter drive.
- believers
the most direct synonym; refers to people who hold religious faith
- the devout
emphasizes those who practice their religion with dedication
- congregation
more specific; refers to members of a particular local religious community
- nonbelievers
people who do not hold religious beliefs
文法句型
the + faithful
用法筆記
Always takes a plural verb and is always preceded by 'the'. This is the oldest use of 'faithful' as a noun, dating from religious contexts.