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
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
Alana Wise, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turncoats
traitors
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
Cite this Entry
“Turncoats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turncoats. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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