Definition of apostate
:one who commits apostasy
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Examples of apostate in a Sentence
an apostate from communism, he later became one of its harshest critics
became an apostate to liberalism after he had gotten wealthy
Recent Examples of apostate from the Web
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Ultraconservative Sunni clerics in Saudi Arabia have in the past referred to Shiites as apostates, and Shiite protesters have been accused of being allied with the kingdom’s rival, Iran.
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The Sunni militant group considers Shiite Muslims as apostates.
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In the shocked Senate chamber after the crucial vote, McConnell seemed near tears, furious at the three apostates who frustrated his Republicans-only process, and completely out of ideas.
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When Sen. Zell Miller, already a Democratic apostate, retired in 2004, Republicans began to systemically take over statewide offices, and hold them all today.
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The majority of Iranian citizens are Shiites, whom ISIS regards as apostates.
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That makes them prime targets for Islamic State militants, who are Sunnis and consider Shiites to be apostates.
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The Sunni militant group views Shiites as apostates.
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The Sunni extremists view Shiites as apostates deserving of death.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'apostate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of apostate
apostate Synonyms
Synonyms
renegade, defector, deserter, recreantAntonyms
loyalistRelated Words
betrayer, double-crosser, quisling, traitor, traitress (or traitoress), turnabout, turncoat; abandoner, come-outer, dropout, leaver; defier, insurgent, insurrectionary, insurrectionist, mutineer, rebel, red, revolter, revolutionary, revolutionist, revolutionizer; discontent, malcontent; recusant, refusenik (also refusnik), refuserNear Antonyms
adherent, disciple, follower, supporter; fanatic, militant, partisan (also partizan), zealotOther Religion (Eastern and Other) Terms
Zen, antinomian, avatar, gnosticism, illuminati, ineffable, karma, koan, mantra
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