as in deserted
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 defected (from)
Verb
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In the last decade, young audiences coveted by advertisers have deserted late night TV shows for streaming channels.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
28 May 2026 -
Bro, being deserted on a deserted island back in the fifties is way different than nowadays.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Rockets also ceased to be viewed as enormously expensive expendable vehicles destined either to smash into the ocean or remain abandoned in orbit forever.—
David Szondy
May 31,
New Atlas,
31 May 2026
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Sora 2, OpenAI’s problematic generative video platform, was abandoned last December, reassuring many copyright holders.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
31 May 2026
Verb
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New Hampshire, which rejected the DNC’s plan, held a leadoff primary ahead of South Carolina anyway, and Biden — who didn’t campaign or have his name on the ballot — still won by a sizable margin after supporters mounted a write-in campaign on his behalf.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
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Voters rejected a state ballot proposal in 1998 to legalize the prescription of lethal medication to help terminally ill, competent, informed adults commit suicide in Michigan, with 71% voting against the initiative.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Verb
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So the Devil orders the father to cut off his daughter’s offending hands.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
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The strait’s closure continues to cut off 20% of the world’s oil supply from global markets, along with liquid natural gas and fertilizer needed for a functioning global economy.—
Vanessa Yurkevich,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Defected (from).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defected%20%28from%29. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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