as in traitor
a person who abandons a cause or organization usually without right
we had orders to find and capture the deserters before they could reveal our location
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deserter
But the group also used it as a tool of execution against deserters, inadvertently showcasing the brittleness of a regime that had to use fear to motivate even its mercenary soldiers to stay in the fight.
—
Nicolas Niarchos, New York Times, 13 May 2025
Russia is also reported to have forcibly sent hundreds of its military deserters to the front line in Ukraine.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
Its return hearkens back to other periods in American history when firing squads were more common, such as the colonial era and the Civil War, when it was used against deserters.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 7 Mar. 2025
Badghis and Faryab, along the line demarcating Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, are in particularly poor shape as deserters leave behind dwindling numbers of guards.
—George Gavrilis, Foreign Affairs, 4 June 2015
See All Example Sentences for deserter
Nicolas Niarchos, New York Times, 13 May 2025
Russia is also reported to have forcibly sent hundreds of its military deserters to the front line in Ukraine.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
Its return hearkens back to other periods in American history when firing squads were more common, such as the colonial era and the Civil War, when it was used against deserters.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 7 Mar. 2025
Badghis and Faryab, along the line demarcating Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, are in particularly poor shape as deserters leave behind dwindling numbers of guards.
—George Gavrilis, Foreign Affairs, 4 June 2015
See All Example Sentences for deserter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deserter
Noun
-
Anyone pushing back against HUAC was a traitor, a red, and should be exiled.—
Chris Yogerst,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Cavs fans took it especially hard, labeling James a traitor and burning his jersey.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Alcalá has pleaded guilty to collaborating with Colombia’s FARC rebels.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The rebels also cited the need to take out the massive scam operations as justification for their offensive – which analysts say China likely greenlit.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
For years, Hollywood content creators have warned about piracy, whether through bootleg VHS tapes, or BitTorrent, or renegade streaming providers.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Skarsgård has long been a red carpet renegade, showing flashes of that playful freak that lives within.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The approach extended to the creative process, with extensive consultation with North Korean experts and defectors throughout production.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Two of whom, Seok and Hyuk, gained attention for their emotional story as North Korean defectors-turned-K-pop idols.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deserter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deserter. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share