Meaning & use
betrothed
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
Formally promised to marry someone; engaged.
Grammar: Follows be or comes before a noun: they were betrothed; her betrothed husband.
Patterns
- betrothed to someone
- become betrothed
- secretly betrothed
In the story, the knight is betrothed to the king's daughter.
The couple were secretly betrothed before he sailed abroad.
nounsingular
The person to whom someone is formally engaged to be married.
Grammar: Used like a noun with a possessive: her betrothed; a plural is very rare.
Patterns
- someone's betrothed
She wrote to her betrothed every week while he was away.
His betrothed waited for him at the harbor.
Common combinations
- betrothed to someone
- The prince was betrothed to a princess from a neighboring kingdom.
- one's betrothed
- He sent letters to his betrothed throughout the long winter.
- become betrothed
- The two families met when the couple became betrothed.
- secretly betrothed
- In the novel they are secretly betrothed, and only the servants know.
Synonyms and how they differ
- engaged
- The modern everyday equivalent; betrothed sounds historical, ceremonial, or literary.
- affianced
- A very formal and rare synonym with the same meaning; even more bookish than betrothed.
- fiancé
- Not an exact match: it names the man one is engaged to, while betrothed describes the state or names the partner neutrally.
Word family
Commonly confused: betrothed or betrothal?
betrothed vs betrothal
Betrothal is the noun naming the engagement itself; betrothed describes the people or names the partner.
Practice
In the novel, the princess is ___ to a prince from a rival kingdom.
Choose one answer.
All four words can be followed by 'to', but only betrothed means formally promised in marriage. Devoted to and accustomed to describe feelings or habits, and opposed to expresses resistance.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “betrothed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.