Disloyalty

Disloyalty refers to the act or quality of not showing fidelity, allegiance, or support to a person, group, organization, or set of beliefs to which one is expected to be loyal. It involves breach of trust, betrayal of confidences, or violation of implied obligations. Disloyal behavior can be intentional or the result of shifting loyalties.

In personal relationships, disloyalty may include betraying confidences, infidelity, or breaking agreed-upon commitments. In organizations, it can manifest as leaking information, defecting, or acting against the interests of colleagues or the institution. In politics and national settings, acts described as treason or sedition are considered forms of political disloyalty.

Consequences vary by context and may include social stigma, damaged reputations, disciplinary action, termination of employment, loss of position, or legal penalties in cases of crimes such as treason. Disloyal conduct can erode trust, impair cooperation, and undermine group functioning, sometimes prompting reforms or increased guard against breaches.

Etymology: loyal derives from Old French leial, with roots in Latin legalis; disloyalty uses the prefix dis- to denote the opposite. The term is often used descriptively to characterize behavior rather than to assign moral condemnation, though in many settings it carries strong normative judgments.