as in deserter
a person who abandons a cause or organization usually without right
the defector demanded political asylum in exchange for information about his nation's spying operations
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defector
Noun
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Russia is also reported to have forcibly sent hundreds of its military deserters to the front line in Ukraine.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Apr. 2025 -
Its return hearkens back to other periods in American history when firing squads were more common, such as the colonial era and the Civil War, when it was used against deserters.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC News,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In an effort to figure out who the traitor on his team is, Ethan Hunt needs the NOC list, which contains the identities of every American spy.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
27 May 2025
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The Confederacy — traitors — were fighting to keep my ancestors enslaved.—
Hashim Coates,
Denver Post,
5 May 2025
Noun
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The move to shutter the renegade shops — which in Manhattan alone vastly exceeded the number of Starbucks coffee shops — was widely applauded.—
Ashley Southall,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
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His band of renegades is deeply committed to their mission and the members enjoy working together to overcome obstacles.—
Chip Bell,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Also starring Jamie Lee Curtis, the original 2003 flick found Lohan’s character — a teenage rebel who fronts a rock band called Pink Slip — magically switching bodies with her mother.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
28 May 2025
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Bo was a rebel on a motorcycle who soon fell for the rich and spirited Hope.—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
26 May 2025
Noun
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For decades, the Philippine armed forces battled insurgents in the southern reaches of the archipelago.—
ELY RATNER,
Foreign Affairs,
27 May 2025
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The insurgents have become the establishment, and the purpose of the establishment is always to protect itself.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
23 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Defector.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defector. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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