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Meaning & use

loyal

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈlɔɪəl/
US/ˈlɔɪəl/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparableapproving

    Staying supportive and faithful to a person, group, cause or country, even when things become difficult.

    Grammar: Often followed by to: loyal to her friends. It can also come before a noun: a loyal friend.

    Patterns

    • loyal to someone
    • loyal to something
    • remain loyal

    He stayed loyal to the team even when it kept losing.

    She has a loyal group of friends who have known her since school.

    The company rewards its loyal customers with a yearly discount.

  2. adjectivecomparable

    Of an animal, showing steady affection and devotion to its owner.

    Grammar: Usually describes dogs and similar pets: a loyal dog.

    Patterns

    • a loyal dog
    • loyal to its owner

    Their loyal dog waited at the gate every evening.

    Horses can be surprisingly loyal to riders who treat them well.

    The old retriever was loyal to the very end.

Word forms

comparativemore loyal
superlativemost loyal

Common combinations

fiercely loyal
The villagers were fiercely loyal to their local football club.
remain loyal to
Despite the offer, she remained loyal to her old employer.
loyal customer
The shop thanked its loyal customers with a free gift.
loyal friend
A loyal friend will tell you the truth kindly.
loyal supporter
He was a loyal supporter of the club for forty years.
loyal servant
The old butler was a loyal servant of the family.

Synonyms and how they differ

faithful
Faithful often suggests keeping a promise, especially in love or belief, while loyal focuses on lasting support.
devoted
Devoted is warmer and shows deep love and effort, whereas loyal can be a calmer matter of reliability.
steadfast
Steadfast stresses refusing to change under pressure, and it sounds more formal than loyal.
dependable
Dependable means you can count on someone to do things, but it does not imply emotional commitment the way loyal does.

Opposites

disloyalunfaithfultreacherous

Word family

loyalty noun
the quality of being loyal
loyally adverb
in a faithful and supportive way
loyalist noun
a person who stays supportive of a ruler, party or cause
disloyal adjective
not loyal; betraying trust
disloyalty noun
the act of betraying someone's trust

Commonly confused: loyal or royal?

loyal vs royal

Royal means connected with a king or queen. Loyal sounds similar but means faithful.

Practice

Even when the business struggled, most of the staff stayed ___ to the owner.

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