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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His case was linked to proceedings against the civil association FundaRedes, though relatives and human-rights groups believe the real target was his brother, who had deserted the armed forces two years earlier.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026 -
The streets below were strangely empty for a weekday morning, and Madison Square Park, visible through the scaffolding, was deserted save for a few people and their pets braving the day’s frigid winds at the dog park.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Throughout the history of gold panning, workers had never been abandoned in remote or forgotten areas of the jungle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
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The buildings were abandoned as the public school system grew more welcoming of Black students, and many of the sites have been lost, historians say.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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During the strike in October, Kaiser rejected workers’ claims about understaffing, insisting that wages are the main reason why workers walked picket lines.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Jan. 2026
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And having sensitivity and being an actor, where you’re rejected more often than not is challenging.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The easiest way to cut into a pomegranate is to cut off the peel near the blossom end.—
Mary Ann Esposito,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
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One congressman suggested that Washington should sooner cut off his own hand than sign a bill that would see his likeness on a coin, a move that would put him in the company of Nero and Caligula.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
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“Defected (from).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defected%20%28from%29. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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