defector

noun

Definition of defectornext
as in deserter
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 defector Anthropic, founded by OpenAI defectors, is now expected to be the first of the two companies to go public, two people familiar with its plans say, with the IPO as early as September. — Alex Heath, Time, 26 Aug. 2026 The documentary tracks students at the Jangdaehyun School in Busan, South Korea – an institution serving North Korean defectors and their families. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026 But intelligence officials previously told The Associated Press that Russia’s security services are now more brazen in their choice of targets, going after Russian activists and foreign supporters of Ukraine as well as military defectors. — Claudia Ciobanu, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 But intelligence officials previously told The Associated Press that Russia's security services are now more brazen in their choice of targets, going after Russian activists and foreign supporters of Ukraine as well as military defectors. — CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 Golf's media establishment mocked defectors as sellouts and eagerly counted down the days until LIV's collapse. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026 Note the poster of the defector Mikhail Baryshnikov hawking Crime and Punishment. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026 Anthropic, whose ranks include many safety-minded defectors from its rival, argues the slower rollout will help society adapt to the powerful new tools. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026 Daisy appears to be a Canadian defector hoping for acceptance within Gilead, but she’s actually been recruited as a spy by Moss, who continues her role as June Osborne from The Handmaid’s Tale. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defector
  1. deserter
  2. traitor
  3. renegade
  4. rebel
  5. insurgent
Noun
  • And within his own country’s history, particularly, Dhont discovered the fates that met would-be deserters who were caught — brutal sentences often leading to death.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
  • The love story of a Confederate deserter (Jude Law) journeying back to his North Carolina home and his love (Nicole Kidman) drives the Civil War drama.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 7 Mar. 2026
Definition of deserter
Noun
  • Rinna, a fellow traitor and the person who helped Rausch secure the bag, had similarly been crossed by him, twice.
    — The Deadline Team, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026
  • His tenure was upended by the arrest of Aldrich Ames, a CIA traitor.
    — Bob Drogin, Washington Post, 22 July 2026
Definition of traitor
Noun
  • 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
  • In Russell, the director found a star who could match his renegade energy.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of renegade
Noun
  • In her 1974 novel The Hearing Trumpet, a nonagenarian vegetarian heroine named Marian rebels against patriarchal institutions.
    — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Al-Sharaa ousted President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 in an offensive led by HTS rebels.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebel
Noun
  • The insecurity landscape is also more chaotic because some groups, after initially being invited to help defend against insurgents, turned into terrorists, said Dengiyefa Angalapu, an analyst at the Center for Democracy and Development in Abuja.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The intervention underscores Russia’s new role as protector of military regimes across the Sahel, where Africa Corps has replaced Wagner and prioritizes keeping juntas in power over battling insurgent groups.
    — Chinedu Asadu, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of insurgent

Browse Nearby Words

defectiveness
defector
defectors
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Cite this Entry

“Defector.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defector. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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