Definition of APOSTATE

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 on the Web In their millenarian ardor and inflexible support for Israel, the neocons find themselves in a position precisely cognate to evangelical Christians—both groups of true believers trying to enact their vision through an apostate. — Jacob Heilbrunn, The New Republic, "The Neocons Strike Back," 23 Jan. 2020 In several influential books still widely read today, Ghazali declared two long-dead leading Muslim philosophers, Farabi and Ibn Sina, apostates for their unorthodox views on God’s power and the nature of resurrection. — Washington Post, "Execution for a Facebook post? Why blasphemy is a capital offense in some Muslim countries," 20 Feb. 2020 And doing it with her fellow Nashville apostates in the Dixie Chicks? — Mikael Wood, chicagotribune.com, "Taylor Swift’s ‘Lover’: All 18 songs, ranked," 26 Aug. 2019 Its first city, which lay in an arid Arabian desert, excluded non-Muslims and sentenced apostates to death. — The Economist, "Secret gardens The forgotten glories of Islamic civilisation," 1 Feb. 2020 That book sets the Latter-day Saints apart from other Christian denominations, who even today often view the relative newcomer faith as suspect — or even apostate. — New York Times, "Lights. Camera. Prayer. A Mini-Hollywood Grows in Utah.," 13 Oct. 2019 And doing it with her fellow Nashville apostates in the Dixie Chicks? — Mikael Wood, chicagotribune.com, "Taylor Swift’s ‘Lover’: All 18 songs, ranked," 26 Aug. 2019 Now the first is an apostate failed state; the second, a quiet supporter; and the third, a de facto ally. — Victor Davis Hanson, National Review, "Israel’s Good and Bad New Realities," 3 Sep. 2019 And doing it with her fellow Nashville apostates in the Dixie Chicks? — Los Angeles Times, "Taylor Swift’s ‘Lover': All 18 songs, ranked," 25 Aug. 2019

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.

History and Etymology for apostate

Middle English apostata, apostate, in part continuing Old English apostata (weak noun), in part borrowed from Anglo-French apostate, apostata, both borrowed from Late Latin apostata "rebel against God, fallen Christian, heretic," borrowed from Late Greek apostátēs "rebel against God, apostate," going back to Greek, "defector, rebel," from aposta-, variant stem of aphístamai, aphístasthai "to stand away from, keep aloof from, revolt" + -tēs, agent suffix — more at apostasy

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