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
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Recent Examples of defector
Several other exiles in London — oligarchs and defectors — who died under mysterious circumstances in the early 2000s.
—
Andy Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Researchers said the report was based on interviews with defectors and officials around the world, as well as declassified documents, satellite images and open-source information.
—Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
Local rights for baseball, which would help ESPN limit subscriber defectors, are on Pitaro’s list of keepers.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Andy Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Researchers said the report was based on interviews with defectors and officials around the world, as well as declassified documents, satellite images and open-source information.
—Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
Local rights for baseball, which would help ESPN limit subscriber defectors, are on Pitaro’s list of keepers.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defector
Noun
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Lincoln made frequent stops in the county and tried cases there as an attorney, according to the city, and Marshall was the site of an extended dispute during the Civil War involving Union Army deserters.—
John Tuohy,
IndyStar,
3 July 2025
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Meanwhile, Byrd’s wide dramatic palette and flexible voice make the most of thankless roles as the movement’s deserter and Montgomery’s white power brokers.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2025
Noun
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As security officer of the Maginot, Morrow abandons his post to kill the traitor — allowing the ship to continue its collision course into Earth.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
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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
Noun
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The polar figures of 16th-century Italian choral music, Palestrina, the Apollonian master of elegant counterpoint, and Gesualdo, the violent renegade of plangent harmonies, meet on the same program presented by Miller Theater.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
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As a result, work in the Texas House, including the passage of several bills unrelated to redistricting, ground to a halt and arrest warrants were issued for the renegade lawmakers, though these couldn't be enforced outside Texas.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
Noun
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But in a region being fought over by a patchwork of anti-junta rebel groups, the military and pro-military militia – and given the widespread distrust of the Rohingya – information on where exactly his family are, or what will become of them, has not been forthcoming.—
Esha Mitra,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
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By the finale, the galactic chessboard is crowded with players—emperors, rebels, prophets, impostors—but as Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) warned in the very first episode, the center cannot hold.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Although some analysts have suggested Starmer may quietly be pleased with the resignation of his main rival and potential successor, the toppling of Rayner caps off what has been a dreadful summer for Labour, in which the party has lost more ground in the polls to the insurgent Reform UK.—
Max Foster,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
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This might enable a mission which, for example, a Viper is located covertly next to a safe house known to be used by insurgents.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defector.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defector. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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