Many people simply refer to acts of adultery and infidelity as “cheating” that can describe emotional or physical acts which break either spoken vows or unwritten rules within a committed relationship. ... Regardless of whether you call it adultery, infidelity, or cheating the end result is the same.

What's the difference between adultery and cheating?

is that adultery is sexual intercourse by a married person with someone other than their spouse while infidelity is unfaithfulness in marriage: practice or instance of having a sexual or romantic affair with someone other than one's spouse, without the consent of the spouse.

What qualifies as adultery?

In words, adultery is in the eyes of the one being cheated on. ... If sexual intercourse makes a person feel the most betrayed, then it counts as adultery to him or her. And if kissing makes another person feel the most betrayed ... you get the point.