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
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Recent Examples of defector
Anthropic, whose ranks include many safety-minded defectors from its rival, argues the slower rollout will help society adapt to the powerful new tools.
—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
Daisy appears to be a Canadian defector hoping for acceptance within Gilead, but she’s actually been recruited as a spy by Moss, who continues her role as June Osborne from The Handmaid’s Tale.
—
Kathryn Vanarendonk,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
Disclosure Day, based on an original story by Spielberg, centers on a decades-long government conspiracy to cover up the existence of alien life, and the group of defectors intent on releasing that intel to the public.
—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 June 2026
The Cubs sign Cuban defector Jorge Soler to a nine-year contract worth $30 million.
—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Heck, our homegrown liberal media and the city of San Francisco even celebrated Olympic defectors like Eileen Gu, who was paid by the Chinese Communist Party to compete for them in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
—
Jon Root Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
Anthropic, the lab founded by its own defectors, confidentially filed this week at a near $1 trillion valuation.
—
Rory McDonald,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
While that's a steep legislative hill, a sizeable group of Republican senators has openly complained about the fund, leaving open the possibility that Democrats could lure across the aisle an embarrassing number of GOP defectors.
—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Nureyev is 23, a rebellious Soviet defector — magnetic, explosive, unstoppable.
—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
Daisy appears to be a Canadian defector hoping for acceptance within Gilead, but she’s actually been recruited as a spy by Moss, who continues her role as June Osborne from The Handmaid’s Tale.
—
Kathryn Vanarendonk,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
Disclosure Day, based on an original story by Spielberg, centers on a decades-long government conspiracy to cover up the existence of alien life, and the group of defectors intent on releasing that intel to the public.
—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 June 2026
The Cubs sign Cuban defector Jorge Soler to a nine-year contract worth $30 million.
—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Heck, our homegrown liberal media and the city of San Francisco even celebrated Olympic defectors like Eileen Gu, who was paid by the Chinese Communist Party to compete for them in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
—
Jon Root Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
Anthropic, the lab founded by its own defectors, confidentially filed this week at a near $1 trillion valuation.
—
Rory McDonald,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
While that's a steep legislative hill, a sizeable group of Republican senators has openly complained about the fund, leaving open the possibility that Democrats could lure across the aisle an embarrassing number of GOP defectors.
—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Nureyev is 23, a rebellious Soviet defector — magnetic, explosive, unstoppable.
—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defector
Noun
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And within his own country’s history, particularly, Dhont discovered the fates that met would-be deserters who were caught — brutal sentences often leading to death.
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The love story of a Confederate deserter (Jude Law) journeying back to his North Carolina home and his love (Nicole Kidman) drives the Civil War drama.
Noun
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Keep your actual and suspected traitors closer – the non-loyal, uncommitted, secretive, suspicious, dishonest, deceitful, chronically negative, and regularly undermining.
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Both groups were accused of being spies, traitors and collaborators, according to the report.
Noun
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There are Sixties rock bands like the Sonics and the Small Faces, and pioneering hippie renegades like Love or the Thirteenth Floor Elevators.
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The president can call out the army against seceding states and their renegade congresspeople.
Noun
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Well after the first Darfur war had faded from headlines, this duo continued to put down rebel groups throughout the country through brutal methods.
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Finding an off-ramp is increasingly becoming necessary for GOP leadership as House rebels threaten to shut down the floor in the absence of a path forward.
Noun
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But what local powers must be surrendered to the insurgent American collectivity?
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The province has been the center of a long-running separatist insurgency, with insurgents demanding independence or greater control over local resources.
Cite this Entry
“Defector.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defector. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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