Disloyal or Unloyal?

by Craig Shrives

What Is the Difference between "Disloyal" and "Unloyal"?

"Disloyal" and "unloyal" are interchangeable. There is no difference between the meanings of the adjectives "disloyal" and "unloyal." As both describe a lack of loyalty, they are synonyms. However, "disloyal" is far more common than "unloyal."
disloyal or unloyal?

More about "Disloyal" and "Unloyal"

Many believe that "unloyal" is wrong because "disloyal" is so much more common. (Here is evidence from Google's Ngram Viewer.) However, both versions are acceptable.

Of note, Google will search for "disloyal" if you type "unloyal," but it will not search for "unloyal" if you type "disloyal." Also, many spellcheckers will show "unloyal" as an error.

Examples with "Disloyal" and "Unloyal"

Here are two example sentences:
  • There's the most resistance to an actor singing. It's like I'm being disloyal to my industry. correct tick (Actor Kevin Bacon)
  • Normally when most people lose a pet, they get another and keep going on. But it just felt wrong to me; I felt unloyal. correct tick (Author Robert Crais)

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See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? different from, different than, and different to poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? tenant or tenet? who's or whose? What are adjectives? List of easily confused words