as in to desert
to leave (a cause or party) often in order to take up another
soldiers defected from the rebel army en masse as the failure of their cause became apparent
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defect (from)
Verb
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In the harsh afternoon sun, it was deserted except for dogs dozing on the rocks, and lovers seeking a shred of privacy.—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026 -
The play area was deserted except for two brothers.—
Jenisha Watts,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The vehicle was later found abandoned at Clement Park in Littleton.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Avoid abandoning any fire without supervision.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Olsson rejects The Athletic’s offer to take cover inside the coffee shop.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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Last week, for example, the UK government rejected plans by a Chinese company, Ming Yang, to invest in a Scottish factory to produce wind turbine blades, citing national security reasons.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The perch is a little too small for bigger birds like mourning doves, and my voracious flock of starlings is often cut off.—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
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Resistance is likely to be strongest among European governments, still shocked by Beijing’s threats last year to cut off supplies of rare earths — essential for clean tech — and worried about further hollowing out their own green industries.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Defect (from).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defect%20%28from%29. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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