1
as in deserter
a person who abandons a cause or organization usually without right
an apostate from communism, he later became one of its harshest critics
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in traitor
one who betrays a trust or an allegiance
became an apostate to liberalism after he had gotten wealthy
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in renegade
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of apostate
Warren P. Strobel, arkansasonline.com, 26 Jan. 2025
The speech reflected his role in the campaign: an attack dog deployed most often to the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan, where the campaign believes its apostate of elite culture connects with the white working-class voters who may decide the election.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024
Many like him feel like these apostates among Tesla’s faithful have been little more than fair-weather friends of Musk.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 10 June 2024
In light of the death of bin Laden and new opportunities to topple apostate regimes afforded by the Arab Spring, this stage ended up having to be adjusted.
—Bruce Hoffman, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2016
See All Example Sentences for apostate
Adjective
The Islamic State group follows a hard-line version of Sunni Islam and considers Shiite Muslims to be apostates.
—Warren P. Strobel, arkansasonline.com, 26 Jan. 2025
The speech reflected his role in the campaign: an attack dog deployed most often to the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan, where the campaign believes its apostate of elite culture connects with the white working-class voters who may decide the election.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024
Many like him feel like these apostates among Tesla’s faithful have been little more than fair-weather friends of Musk.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 10 June 2024
In light of the death of bin Laden and new opportunities to topple apostate regimes afforded by the Arab Spring, this stage ended up having to be adjusted.
—Bruce Hoffman, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2016
See All Example Sentences for apostate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apostate
Noun
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Lincoln made frequent stops in the county and tried cases there as an attorney, according to the city, and Marshall was the site of an extended dispute during the Civil War involving Union Army deserters.—
John Tuohy,
IndyStar,
3 July 2025
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Meanwhile, Byrd’s wide dramatic palette and flexible voice make the most of thankless roles as the movement’s deserter and Montgomery’s white power brokers.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2025
Noun
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As security officer of the Maginot, Morrow abandons his post to kill the traitor — allowing the ship to continue its collision course into Earth.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
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Bolsonaro and his son Eduardo, who has been actively lobbying against Brazil in Washington, have both been branded as traitors by Lula supporters.—
HUSSEIN KALOUT,
Foreign Affairs,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
As a result, work in the Texas House, including the passage of several bills unrelated to redistricting, ground to a halt and arrest warrants were issued for the renegade lawmakers, though these couldn't be enforced outside Texas.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
-
There was something renegade about it, something deeply irreverent.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
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But in a region being fought over by a patchwork of anti-junta rebel groups, the military and pro-military militia – and given the widespread distrust of the Rohingya – information on where exactly his family are, or what will become of them, has not been forthcoming.—
Esha Mitra,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
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By the finale, the galactic chessboard is crowded with players—emperors, rebels, prophets, impostors—but as Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) warned in the very first episode, the center cannot hold.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Such was the case this past weekend, when tens of millions of fans keyed in on the denouement of the college basketball season at the expense of lesser spectacles such as spring football and one notoriously schismatic pro golf startup.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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The Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which didn't recognize the authority of the Russian church and had been regarded as schismatic, was granted full recognition in 2019 by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Orthodoxy's top authority.—
COMPILED BYDEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFFFROM WIRE REPORTS,
arkansasonline.com,
26 Dec. 2023
Noun
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Although some analysts have suggested Starmer may quietly be pleased with the resignation of his main rival and potential successor, the toppling of Rayner caps off what has been a dreadful summer for Labour, in which the party has lost more ground in the polls to the insurgent Reform UK.—
Max Foster,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
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This might enable a mission which, for example, a Viper is located covertly next to a safe house known to be used by insurgents.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Instead, the company gave the job to Josie Wheeler, a nontraditional hire who’d joined the company in 2019 as an apprentice.—
Andy Tonsing,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Schoemann denied any wrongdoing, saying the county engaged in a nontraditional but widely publicized process seeking ideas for the property and the school's $3 million proposal was the best financial option.—
Kelly Meyerhofer,
jsonline.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Several other exiles in London — oligarchs and defectors — who died under mysterious circumstances in the early 2000s.—
Andy Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
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Researchers said the report was based on interviews with defectors and officials around the world, as well as declassified documents, satellite images and open-source information.—
Jennifer Jett,
NBC news,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Apostate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apostate. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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