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
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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
Erick Erickson, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
The first such, that of John McCain, in September of 2018, felt like a meeting of the resistance, a clarion call to take up arms where the late senator, another Republican who turned apostate rather than submit to Trump, had left them on the field.
—Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2025
In Iran, Baha’is are considered to be apostates and face persecution, marked by extreme violence including extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary detention.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
As the developed north lectures this new generation of Latin American leaders to abide by neoliberal, democratic norms and isolating apostates, China and Russia are all too willing to provide an alternative.
—Christopher Sabatini, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for apostate
Noun
To tell Republicans this is to be an apostate.
—Erick Erickson, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
The first such, that of John McCain, in September of 2018, felt like a meeting of the resistance, a clarion call to take up arms where the late senator, another Republican who turned apostate rather than submit to Trump, had left them on the field.
—Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2025
In Iran, Baha’is are considered to be apostates and face persecution, marked by extreme violence including extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary detention.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
As the developed north lectures this new generation of Latin American leaders to abide by neoliberal, democratic norms and isolating apostates, China and Russia are all too willing to provide an alternative.
—Christopher Sabatini, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for apostate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apostate
Noun
-
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.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
-
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.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Both groups were accused of being spies, traitors and collaborators, according to the report.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
He was shunned by his homeland and called a traitor.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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As a substitute, the district had hired a renegade hippie, Bromley Stokes, who’d recently washed up in town.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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Then there’s Schiaparelli’s approach to work, which was renegade, and highly collaborative.—
Laird Borrelli-Persson,
Vogue,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Mahamat Idriss Déby, 42, seized power in Chad after his father, Idriss Déby, was killed fighting rebels in 2021, before winning elections in 2024.—
Farai Mutsaka,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
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The group has been responsible for current President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s security and for fighting rebel groups.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Given that Pakistan is home to over 20 million Shia Muslims—the second largest cohort in the world after Iran—open warfare with the only nation with more would be schismatic internally.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
9 Apr. 2026
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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
Noun
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In 2022, French forces departed Mali as insurgents made incursions into the capital, Bamako.—
Kaitlyn Rabe,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
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But now the onetime insurgent sits atop a sprawling establishment.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Part of the explanation, Ford said, is that the right weather patterns have produced large tornado outbreaks in nontraditional tornado months, such as March of last year and July 2024.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
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Who knew a nontraditional Big Ten program could overtake the South’s premier venue?—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
18 June 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Apostate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apostate. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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