Definition and pronunciation
adulterer — noun: a person who commits adultery (has sexual relations with someone other than their spouse).
Pronunciation: /əˈdʌl.tər.ər/ (US/UK).
Easy explanation
An adulterer is a married person who has sex with someone who is not their spouse. Many people also use it more loosely for anyone who cheats in an exclusive relationship.
Part of speech and grammar
- Countable noun: an adulterer; two adulterers.
- Feminine/marked form: adulteress (older, gendered; many prefer gender-neutral wording).
- Related words: adultery (noun), adulterous (adjective), adulterously (adverb).
- Legal phrasing you may see: alleged/accused adulterer; named as adulterer in a petition.
Register and tone
Neutral-to-formal in law and journalism but can feel moralizing in everyday speech. In modern writing, many choose neutral phrasing like unfaithful spouse/partner.
Connection to sexuality
Direct. The term names consensual sexual infidelity within marriage (or by extension within an exclusive partnership). It does not refer to crimes involving lack of consent.
Common collocations
alleged adulterer; serial adulterer; unrepentant adulterer; confessed adulterer; known adulterer; adulterer and adulteress; name/brand someone an adulterer; grounds for divorce naming an adulterer; expose an adulterer.
Idioms and expressions
- caught in adultery — fixed legal/religious phrasing in older texts.
- name and shame an adulterer — tabloid/legal phrase.
- the scarlet letter — cultural reference to public shaming for adultery (literary allusion).
Prepositions and nuance
- adulterer in [case/petition] — where the label appears.
- adulterer with [person] — archaic/legalistic way to name the other party.
- adulterer against [spouse] — rare; emphasizes betrayal.
Meaning itself doesn’t change; prepositions mainly tie the label to documents or parties.
Word comparisons
- adulterer vs cheater — cheater is everyday and covers emotional/romantic deceit; adulterer specifically involves marital status and sexual conduct.
- adulterer vs philanderer/womanizer — these suggest a pattern of pursuing many partners (often male-coded), not necessarily marriage.
- adulterer vs fornicator — fornicator traditionally means premarital sex between unmarried people.
- adulterer vs paramour — paramour is the lover outside the marriage, not the cheating spouse.
- adulterer vs homewrecker — pejorative for the third party; not the spouse.
Real-life examples
- The divorce filing named a coworker as the adulterer and cited text messages as evidence.
- Some faith communities discipline leaders found to be adulterers.
- Journalists often write alleged adulterer until claims are verified.
- Modern counseling literature prefers unfaithful spouse/partner instead of labels.
Sample sentences
- The court dismissed the claim that he was an adulterer for lack of proof.
- Headlines called her partner an adulterer; the couple later issued a joint statement.
- The novel follows a repentant adulterer seeking forgiveness.
- Rather than label people, the report described an extramarital affair in neutral terms.
- She denied ever being an adulterer and criticized the rumor mill.
Synonyms
cheater, unfaithful spouse, unfaithful partner, two-timer, philanderer, womanizer, libertine, rake, lothario
Antonyms
faithful spouse, loyal partner, monogamist, devoted partner, faithful husband, faithful wife
Related terms
adultery, adulterous, adulteress, affair, infidelity, betrayal, paramour, co-respondent, divorce, separation, reconciliation, prenuptial agreement, alienation of affection, open relationship, consensual non-monogamy
Notes and etiquette
Use person-first, precise language in professional contexts. Distinguish consensual adultery (a breach of commitment) from non-consensual offenses, which should be named directly (e.g., sexual assault). Avoid gendered slurs; only use the label when necessary for clarity.
Sexopedia.co is an educational glossary of sexual and gender-related terms—helping you improve your English while deepening your understanding of identity, language, and self-expression.