DEFECTING (FROM) Synonyms: 29 Similar and Opposite Words

defecting (from)

verb

present participle of defect (from)

as in deserting

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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Recent Examples of Synonyms for defecting (from)

Verb

The president’s 2024 campaign leaned into crypto to attract young men, a demographic that is deserting Republicans in the midterms.

— Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Tennessee Williams’ autobiographical drama centers on a writer haunted by deserting his delusional mother Amanda and sister Laura, who’s painfully shy and retreats to her collection of glass animals.

— Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of deserting

Verb

Dhillon has drawn fierce criticism from former Justice Department attorneys who have accused her of abandoning the division's traditional civil rights enforcement mission in favor of conservative causes.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2026
The production wind-down does not necessarily mean Tesla is abandoning the pickup altogether.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of abandoning

Verb

Idahoans were on track to keep the keys to the state’s drug policy Tuesday evening, with two-thirds of voters rejecting a measure that would take the future legalization of marijuana out of their hands.

— Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 3 Nov. 2026
Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment strengthening the state’s most visible form of direct democracy, months after overwhelmingly rejecting a proposal that would weaken it.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of rejecting

Verb

Without natural sand reaching the beaches, high tides and large surf have resulted in entire beaches being covered with water, cutting off access.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Deadhead blazing star during the growing season to encourage more flowering, but do not prune too soon, as cutting off the foliage may reduce next year’s blooms.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of cutting off

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defecting

defecting (from)

defection

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“Defecting (from).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defecting%20%28from%29. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of defecting (from)

verb

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