as in traitor
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 turncoat
In the pantheon of Bond villains, turncoats from MI6 have often served as some of the best baddies.
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Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025
The other senators are immediately abuzz, and Mothma has to be smuggled out of the spherical senate chamber to avoid abduction by a turncoat.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 21 May 2025
Its players are turncoats whose legacies are forever stained.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2025
The new synthetic has Bishop’s genuine care for humanity, until he’s corrupted by a synthetic modeled (very directly) after Ash, turning him into a turncoat android more in line with the prequels’ David (Michael Fassbender).
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for turncoat
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025
The other senators are immediately abuzz, and Mothma has to be smuggled out of the spherical senate chamber to avoid abduction by a turncoat.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 21 May 2025
Its players are turncoats whose legacies are forever stained.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2025
The new synthetic has Bishop’s genuine care for humanity, until he’s corrupted by a synthetic modeled (very directly) after Ash, turning him into a turncoat android more in line with the prequels’ David (Michael Fassbender).
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for turncoat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turncoat
traitor
Noun
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Opponents aren’t just wrong anymore — they’re painted as traitors or existential threats.—
Marly Berlin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Sep. 2025
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The show features reality TV stars and celebrity contestants who must play a game similar to Werewolf or Mafia and figure out who the traitors are among the group.—
Rosa Escandon,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Turncoat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turncoat. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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