1
as in accomplice
one associated with another in wrongdoing
the police were able to track down his confederates once the thief started talking
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2
as in supporter
someone associated with another to give assistance or moral support
relied on her confederates in the medical community for support
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to cooperate
to form or enter into an association that furthers the interests of its members
the nations confederated in order to lower international trade barriers
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as in allied
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of confederate
Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 May 2025
The series somewhat downplays the real-life danger: In the show, men in a truck wagging a confederate flag egg Ali’s lodge.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2024
Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Lewis said the thieves are sometimes tipped off to valuable shipments by confederates working at warehouses or trucking companies.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Mark Sherman, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2024
The Kinfolk app’s launch comes as fierce debate rages about the monuments staring down at us from city centers: those that pay tribute to confederate leaders, slave owners, or other tarnished once-heroes.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 21 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for confederate
Noun
More than 2,000 confederate symbols remain across the country, and some have even been restored including those Virginia schools reclaiming their names.
—Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 May 2025
The series somewhat downplays the real-life danger: In the show, men in a truck wagging a confederate flag egg Ali’s lodge.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2024
Verb
Yet, the real participants were surrounded by confederates, or actors, who deliberately gave incorrect answers.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Lewis said the thieves are sometimes tipped off to valuable shipments by confederates working at warehouses or trucking companies.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
After Congress passed an amnesty for most of the former confederates the measure targeted in 1872, the provision fell into disuse until dozens of suits were filed to keep Trump off the ballot this year.
—Mark Sherman, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2024
The Kinfolk app’s launch comes as fierce debate rages about the monuments staring down at us from city centers: those that pay tribute to confederate leaders, slave owners, or other tarnished once-heroes.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 21 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for confederate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confederate
Noun
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The scheme was allegedly led by a 77-year-old German man from Bavaria with the help of ten accomplices, according to a press release from the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office.—
NPR,
NPR,
26 Oct. 2025
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Police are still searching for the loot taken from the museum in last weekend’s brazen daytime theft, as well as for other accomplices.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Favorability Ratings Reveal Polarized Electorate All three candidates face underwater favorability ratings, though Mamdani’s supporters remain the most energized.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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At last weekend’s general assembly of Barcelona club members, Laporta tried to thread a delicate path when defending the plan to play a domestic game over 4,500 miles away, knowing that Tebas is not exactly popular with his team’s supporters.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Arreguín urged local officials to communicate regularly with the community and immigration advocacy organizations to remind everyone that California is a sanctuary state, so local law enforcement, schools and teachers do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement officials.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
23 Oct. 2025
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Perhaps most important, the NBA can’t scare witnesses into cooperating.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Around 70 aircraft from 14 allied nations took part in the exercise, the statement said, operating out of airbases in the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Denmark.—
Anna Chernova,
CNN Money,
22 Oct. 2025
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Some are nearshoring production to Mexico or allied countries, cutting costs by 15–25 percent compared with China.—
Vitalii Savryha,
Sourcing Journal,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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China has been building the world’s largest navy, launching high-tech warships at a frenetic pace under the leadership of Xi Jinping, putting pressure on the United States and its Pacific allies to keep pace.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
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This offers a real opportunity for the United States and its allies.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Canvas’ co-chief executive officer Devin Gilmarti spoke of the importance of fashion diplomacy and the idea that creation can unite nations.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
23 Oct. 2025
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However, when the students have difficulty getting along, a cheerleader named Addison (Meg Donnelly) and a zombie named Zed (Milo Manheim) team up to unite them.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The politicization of such matters has only served to muddy the waters, as those affected by controversy argue that political foes have often abandoned nuance in favor of weaponizing scandals to further a partisan agenda.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Oct. 2025
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Here, again, there was a partisan split.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As Koestler observes, crying is a signal not just of surrender but of neediness, designed to elicit succor and comfort from sympathizers.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Sep. 2025
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McCarthy and his cronies engineered a hysteria over left-wing ideologies and their sympathizers, encouraging tactics like loyalty oaths and provoking paranoia over a suggestion that communist spies were omnipresent in America.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Confederate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confederate. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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