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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defecting (from)
Verb
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But Putin was not going to launch a new war against Turkey’s rebel allies just to save a petty dictator whose own soldiers were deserting.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Allen was arraigned on Wednesday on one count of third-degree killing/torturing an animal and a misdemeanor count of abandoning/cruelty to an animal.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
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The last gasp of oxygen evaporated the moment Giddey dug his heels into the hardwood, abandoning the play in his frustration.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some African governments are rejecting American health funding agreements over data and privacy concerns.—
Adrian Elimian,
semafor.com,
6 Mar. 2026
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Saying no can feel a bit like rejecting the praise itself.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The United Arab Emirates is considering cutting off Iranian access to billions of dollars held in the Gulf state, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
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And people very quickly begin to think about cutting off electricity, cutting off water, damage to their cities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Defecting (from).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defecting%20%28from%29. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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