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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The move suggests a broader shift in Tehran, where a new generation of leaders is increasingly abandoning the cautious, reactive approach that long defined the Islamic Republic’s strategy towards its adversaries.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
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These networks are viewed with less enthusiasm in the age of streaming, because more consumers are abandoning their cable subscriptions in favor of streaming services.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Verb
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In social services, the Legislature is rejecting a cut by the governor to popular in-home supportive service care funding for Californians with disabilities — including older adults and children.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
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Cornyn then doubled down, rejecting the premise that procedural effort can substitute for votes and escalating his criticism of Republican messaging.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
12 June 2026
Verb
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It’s told from the perspective of a man who, ten years after cutting off his parents, reflects on their lives and on his upbringing.—
Nina Mesfin,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
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The White House has doubled down on battles with Harvard and UCLA after federal judges blocked the administration from cutting off research funding from the campuses.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 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 14 Jun. 2026.
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