loyalty

/ˈlɔɪəlti/
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Steadfast faithfulness in personal, civic, or moral bonds, with specialised legal and marketing uses for fiduciary duty and lasting customer attachment.

Examples

  • A trustee's loyalty requires decisions made for the beneficiaries, not for private profit.
  • Family loyalties made the decision harder than expected.
  • A good rewards program can support loyalty, but it cannot create trust by itself.
  • Her loyalty to her friends never felt blind or automatic.
  • He valued loyalty but refused to excuse cruelty.

Similar words

obligation
fidelity
allegiance
good faith
brand loyalty
brand attachment
commitment
repeat patronage
fealty
fiduciary duty

Meanings

Steadfast faithfulness

noun
relationships
neutral
Faithful commitment to a person, group, country, promise, or cause, especially when leaving or betraying it would be easier.

Examples

  • Her loyalty to her friends never felt blind or automatic.
  • The oath asked soldiers to show loyalty to the constitution.
  • Family loyalties made the decision harder than expected.
  • The movement depended on the loyalty of volunteers.
  • He valued loyalty but refused to excuse cruelty.
  • The captain earned the crew's loyalty by sharing every risk.
  • Divided loyalty pulled her between her family and her country.

Similar words

Fiduciary duty

noun
law
formal
The legal obligation of a fiduciary, director, agent, trustee, or lawyer to put the represented party's interests before personal gain or conflicting interests.

Examples

  • A trustee's loyalty requires decisions made for the beneficiaries, not for private profit.
  • The board investigated whether the director had breached her duty of loyalty.
  • Attorney loyalty can prevent representation of a directly adverse client.
  • Corporate loyalty rules require disclosure of serious conflicts of interest.
  • The agent's loyalty was tested when a personal commission was offered.
  • Self-dealing is a classic breach of fiduciary loyalty.
  • The court treated loyalty as part of the fiduciary relationship.

Similar words

Customer or brand attachment

noun
marketing
neutral
A customer's sustained attachment to a company, store, or brand, shown through repeat buying, advocacy, or resistance to switching.

Examples

  • The airline built loyalty by making frequent travel easier.
  • Strong brand loyalty kept customers from switching to cheaper rivals.
  • The retailer measured loyalty by repeat visits and recommendations.
  • A good rewards program can support loyalty, but it cannot create trust by itself.
  • Customer loyalty fell after the company cut service quality.
  • The campaign focused on loyalty from existing buyers rather than one-time sales.
  • Price changes tested the loyalty of long-term subscribers.

Similar words

Etymology

From Middle English forms including leaute and loyalty, through Old French loialte and leaute from loial, ultimately from Latin legalis, "legal" or "lawful". The modern emotional sense grew from older ideas of lawful faithfulness, fealty, and obligation.

FAQ

What does loyalty mean?

Loyalty means steady faithfulness to a person, group, country, promise, or cause, especially when betrayal or leaving would be easier.

What is the legal duty of loyalty?

The duty of loyalty is a fiduciary obligation to put another party's interests first and avoid self-dealing, hidden conflicts, or misuse of information.

What does loyalty mean in marketing?

In marketing, loyalty means a customer's lasting attachment to a company, store, or brand, usually shown through repeat buying or resistance to switching.

Is loyalty the same as honesty?

Loyalty is faithfulness or allegiance, while honesty is truthfulness. They can support each other, but they are not the same.

What preposition goes with loyalty?

Loyalty to is the usual pattern: loyalty to a friend, country, team, client, company, or cause.

What are synonyms for loyalty?

Common synonyms include faithfulness, allegiance, devotion, fidelity, fealty, and commitment.

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