DESERTER Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

deserter

noun

di-ˈzər-tər

Definition of deserter

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

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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 One of the carriages on Trotsky’s train was set aside as a revolutionary tribunal to deal with deserters and cowards. — Literary Hub, 25 Feb. 2026 During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln pardoned many Union deserters; after it, Andrew Johnson blanket pardoned nearly all Confederate soldiers. — Willem Marx, Vanity Fair, 18 Feb. 2026 This notably happened during the Civil War with enlistment bounties to track down deserters. — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Dec. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for deserter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deserter

Noun

Aside from his surprise heartthrob status, the British comedian has been vocal about feeling anxious as a traitor.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2026
Abby became suspicious of Kuehl during a private conversation about possible traitors in the group.

— Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of traitor

Noun

The war next door United Nations experts have documented Rwandan military support for M23 rebels, which have seized territory in eastern DRC.

— Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
But the rebels also have an array of relatively cheap drones, including weapons supplied by Iran, and locally made copies of Iranian attack drones.

— Frank Andrews, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of rebel

Noun

Niger’s ruling junta survived its most serious internal challenge since the 2023 coup after renegade soldiers mutinied in Niamey and Russian Africa Corps fighters helped presidential guards retake a key airbase.

— Chinedu Asadu, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
In some ways, there is a strange kind of unity to these three—all are set during the Depression, all feature stylish renegades.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of renegade

Noun

South Korea, which in its constitution claims to be the legitimate government of the entire Korean Peninsula, has long accepted and financially supported North Korean defectors.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
This hopeful documentary follows teenagers attending Jangdaehyun School in Busan, which helps the children of North Korean defectors to navigate life in South Korea.

— Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of defector

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deserted

deserter

deserters

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“Deserter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deserter. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of deserter

noun

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