apostasy

noun

apos·​ta·​sy ə-ˈpä-stə-sē 

plural apostasies

1

: an act of refusing to continue to follow, obey, or recognize a religious faith

2

: abandonment of a previous loyalty : defection

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Cheney’s credibility with non-MAGA audiences comes from her apostasy, her willingness to confront Donald Trump and the Republican Party’s larger authoritarian drift. Daniel Strauss, The New Republic, 10 Aug. 2022

And as with any religion, this opens up a host of dramatic situations — of apostasy and betrayal, doubt and disillusion. Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2022

Still, there are at least signs of tentative resistance to Trump, albeit from Republican grandees rather than a new standard bearer with a future in the party who is willing to risk political apostasy. Stephen Collinson, CNN, 7 Feb. 2022

As far as his Zenith world is concerned, though, this apostasy is the first step on the road to that ultimate evil — socialism! New York Times, 31 Dec. 2021

George Orwell may have had the right idea about how Democrats should react to the apostasy of Joe Manchin. Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 23 Dec. 2021

Owens tried making excuses for the former president's apostasy. Joel Mathis, The Week, 27 Dec. 2021

For most true believers, though, the latter option—choosing apostasy, which is a kind of self-exile,—is not really an option at all. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2021

But one person’s prophecy is another person’s apostasy, and most of us don’t object to preachers airing political opinions per se, only those which conflict with our own. Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2021

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English apostasie, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Late Latin apostasia, borrowed from Greek apostasía "defection, revolt, (Septuagint) rebellion against God" (Late Greek, "defection, apostasy"), variant (with -ia -ia entry 1) of apóstasis, from aposta-, variant stem of aphístamai, aphístasthai "to stand away from, keep aloof from, revolt," middle voice of aphístēmi, aphistánai "to put away, remove, cause to revolt" (from aph-, assimilated variant of apo- apo- + histánai "to cause to stand, place") + -sis -sis — more at assist entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

apostasy

noun

apos·​ta·​sy ə-ˈpäs-tə-sē 

plural apostasies

: a giving up of a religious faith or a previous loyalty