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
Her father joined her in denouncing Trump as a threat to the republic, earning him enmity from fellow Republicans as a turncoat and accolades from even fierce Democrats as democracy's hero.
—
Susan Page, USA Today, 20 Nov. 2025
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
The turncoats are John Hannah, Biggie Munn, Bo Schembechler and Burt Smith.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for turncoat
Susan Page, USA Today, 20 Nov. 2025
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
The turncoats are John Hannah, Biggie Munn, Bo Schembechler and Burt Smith.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for turncoat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turncoat
traitor
Noun
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In episode 9, the duo was hard at work picking whom to murder and throwing off the faithfuls from discovering their traitor identities.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
13 Feb. 2026
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The challenge gave the faithful a chance to identify the traitors with just a few rounds left.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turncoat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turncoat. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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