as in deserter
a person who abandons a cause or organization usually without right
the defector demanded political asylum in exchange for information about his nation's spying operations
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Recent Examples of defector
Mirrors were such a precious commodity in the heyday of the Venetian Republic that the assassins were dispatched to, well, dispatch any defectors who left La Serenissima and tried to take the secrets of creating that mesmerizing, reflective surface along with them.
—
Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 17 Mar. 2026
Some regimes were and are particularly brutal towards defectors, not least Hungary in the 1940s.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
In 2023, the island even began to allow defectors to represent the national team in the World Baseball Classic.
—Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Another pattern to watch is that of defectors from the IRGC.
—Felice Friedson, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
The documentary focuses on the Jangdaehyun School in Busan where the small student body – only 20 kids – are all defectors.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Mar. 2026
And with members' own reelection hopes beginning to clash with some politically unpopular policies coming from the White House, the number of Republican defectors could grow as the midterm elections approach.
—CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
In 2006, Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko died after drinking a cup of tea laced with radioactive polonium-210 in a London hotel.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 17 Feb. 2026
In 2006, defector and former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko died three weeks after drinking green tea laced with polonium-210 at a plush London hotel.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 15 Feb. 2026
Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 17 Mar. 2026
Some regimes were and are particularly brutal towards defectors, not least Hungary in the 1940s.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
In 2023, the island even began to allow defectors to represent the national team in the World Baseball Classic.
—Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Another pattern to watch is that of defectors from the IRGC.
—Felice Friedson, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
The documentary focuses on the Jangdaehyun School in Busan where the small student body – only 20 kids – are all defectors.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Mar. 2026
And with members' own reelection hopes beginning to clash with some politically unpopular policies coming from the White House, the number of Republican defectors could grow as the midterm elections approach.
—CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
In 2006, Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko died after drinking a cup of tea laced with radioactive polonium-210 in a London hotel.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 17 Feb. 2026
In 2006, defector and former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko died three weeks after drinking green tea laced with polonium-210 at a plush London hotel.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defector
Noun
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This notably happened during the Civil War with enlistment bounties to track down deserters.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Dec. 2025
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Harry Truman granted amnesty to certain World War II deserters, while Jimmy Carter granted pardons to hundreds of thousands of individuals who dodged the draft during the Vietnam War.—
Stewart Ulrich,
The Conversation,
15 Dec. 2025
Noun
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What Davenport doesn’t know is a lethal Russian hit squad, led by a woman trained to kill, is hunting the traitor/spy, and after a couple of car chases, the hit team realizes Davenport is after them.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
22 Mar. 2026
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Having been labeled traitors in Iran and following reports that some of their families had been threatened, the players then sang before their other two matches.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Wandering around the park, dry leaves crunching underfoot, feels like crashing a dress rehearsal, or an extremely chill treeworker renegade.—
Calin Van Paris,
Outside,
19 Mar. 2026
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The men who once styled themselves renegades increasingly resembled every other hyper-online young guy—gaming, memeing, trading.—
Clara Molot,
Vanity Fair,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The mineral-rich eastern Congo has been battered by decades of unrest as government forces fight more than 100 armed groups, the most potent the M23 rebel group backed by Rwanda.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 Mar. 2026
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Ai, a Chinese Vietnamese American filmmaker and writer, focuses on rebels and outsiders of mainstream culture.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That kind of chaos could easily spill over Iran’s borders, and not just by land; the Persian Gulf is narrow, and would not pose much of an obstacle to terrorists or insurgents who cross it in speedboats.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
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Paxton will counter that Texas runoffs often reward insurgents.—
Gromer Jeffers Jr,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defector.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defector. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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