as in traitors
one who betrays a trust or an allegiance
the plot of the story revolved around the gangster's relentless determination to learn the identity of the turncoat
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Recent Examples of turncoats
In his first interview since the tragic events in May, Cacique, a Spanish nickname given to a local boss, said the turncoats hoped to receive a reward for the capture of Robert Colina, whose alias was Pantera, Spanish for panther.
—
Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
President Abraham Lincoln called on state militias at the outset of the Civil War to help in fighting Confederate turncoats to the South.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025
Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
President Abraham Lincoln called on state militias at the outset of the Civil War to help in fighting Confederate turncoats to the South.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turncoats
traitors
Noun
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Proceed with caution, faithful readers… The die is cast — the traitors and faithfuls have been chosen, and their clothes are doing the slaying (all puns intended).—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
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These mercenary-force ICE clowns are traitors to the country and the Constitution.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turncoats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turncoats. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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