Definition of defect (from)next
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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defect (from)
Verb
  • Mbappe wasn’t the worst of France’s attackers and never stopped trying to turn the tide, but his quality deserted him.
    Liam Twomey, New York Times, 16 July 2026
  • Over the next two decades, records are few, most of them noting criminal convictions for fighting in bars, stealing a watch, deserting a whaling ship, and beating his wife.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Verb
  • Burke’s phone was the last device connected to the Tesla before it was abandoned, the detective said, and surveillance footage showed him near the vehicle.
    Madeline Morrison, NBC news, 22 July 2026
  • But the threat alone has persuaded some ships to abandon their plans to exit the Red Sea heading south.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • Netanyahu had rejected any role in Gaza for the Palestinian Authority (without publicly endorsing an alternative).
    David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
  • Conversely, when a judge rejects a motion for an injunction, companies can move to complete a takeover deal quickly.
    Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • D4vd then allegedly cut off her left ring and pinky fingers because her ring finger had a tattoo of his name.
    Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • Fenced in and barred from foraging, fishing, hunting, and farming, Indigenous peoples were intentionally cut off from the calorie-rich landscapes that had fed them for millennia.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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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 23 Jul. 2026.

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