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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Miller, a child star from Toronto, was feeling the vertigo of abandoning show business.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025 -
In theory, pediatricians abandoning vaccines would help their businesses.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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House Speaker Mike Johnson is rejecting calls for Congress to hold a separate vote to pay military service members, who could miss paychecks next week if the government shutdown continues.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been adamant in rejecting the idea of an independent Palestinian state, and his polices over the years have often worked to undermine the PA, which aspires to govern a future State of Palestine.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In a recent interview with the BBC World Service, Machado voiced support for the international coalition’s efforts in the Caribbean, framing them as essential to cutting off illicit revenue to the Maduro regime.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
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Across town, the Elk River could surround CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital, cutting off all exits.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
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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 15 Oct. 2025.
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