as in deserters
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 defectors
Several other exiles in London — oligarchs and defectors — who died under mysterious circumstances in the early 2000s.
—
Andy Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Researchers said the report was based on interviews with defectors and officials around the world, as well as declassified documents, satellite images and open-source information.
—Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
Local rights for baseball, which would help ESPN limit subscriber defectors, are on Pitaro’s list of keepers.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Andy Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Researchers said the report was based on interviews with defectors and officials around the world, as well as declassified documents, satellite images and open-source information.
—Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
Local rights for baseball, which would help ESPN limit subscriber defectors, are on Pitaro’s list of keepers.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defectors
Noun
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Bolsonaro and his son Eduardo, who has been actively lobbying against Brazil in Washington, have both been branded as traitors by Lula supporters.—
HUSSEIN KALOUT,
Foreign Affairs,
2 Sep. 2025
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The 1798 Alien Enemies Act After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the American government viewed Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans as potential traitors, Umemoto said.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
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By 2018, Assad had control of Damascus and Aleppo, and the rebels were confined to a jihadist ministate in Idlib.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
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Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Saturday vowed to take revenge for the killing of their prime minister and other political leaders by Israeli airstrikes earlier this week.—
Eyad Kourdi,
CNN Money,
30 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This might enable a mission which, for example, a Viper is located covertly next to a safe house known to be used by insurgents.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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The state Republicans have routinely witnessed battles between far-right insurgents who in recent years have complained the party isn’t Trumpy enough and the financial institutional wing that has long been the GOP establishment and funded the party for decades.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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VCs raining money on said brilliant renegades, despite signals that the market wasn’t quite mature enough and money was being lit on fire?—
Cortney Harding,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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Fleeing persecution in this little schoolhouse, we were suddenly transformed into renegades, dissidents.—
Chandler Fritz,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defectors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defectors. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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