faithful

1 of 2

adjective

faith·​ful ˈfāth-fəl How to pronounce faithful (audio)
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 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
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
Duke phenom Cooper Flagg got a standing ovation from the Cameron Indoor faithful on Monday night in what may have been his final home game in a Blue Devil uniform. Ryan Morik, Fox News, 4 Mar. 2025 Vatican officials can be faithful to the highest standards of their religion, truly wishing to serve the church and the common good of humanity. Daniel Speed Thompson, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2025
Noun
Who will lead the 1.3 billion Catholic faithful if Francis' health worsens? Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025 Davis exited what had been a first-class introduction to the Mavs faithful late in the third quarter. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 Feb. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Faithful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faithful. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

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 adverb
faithfulness noun

faithful

2 of 2 noun
plural faithful or faithfuls
: one that has faith or is faithful

More from Merriam-Webster on faithful

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