DEFECTING (FROM) Synonyms: 29 Similar and Opposite Words

defecting (from)

verb

present participle of defect (from)

as in deserting

to leave (a cause or party) often in order to take up another soldiers defected from the rebel army en masse as the failure of their cause became apparent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defecting (from)

Verb

The president’s 2024 campaign leaned into crypto to attract young men, a demographic that is deserting Republicans in the midterms.

— Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Tennessee Williams’ autobiographical drama centers on a writer haunted by deserting his delusional mother Amanda and sister Laura, who’s painfully shy and retreats to her collection of glass animals.

— Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of deserting

Verb

The protestors accuse Kumar of abandoning his constitutional obligation to act impartially.

— Asim Ali, Time, 24 Oct. 2026
Schottenheimer has faced questions throughout the week around the offense handling pressure, abandoning the run early in games, not finding explosive plays and more.

— Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of abandoning

Verb

Alvarez said that rejecting Amendment 2 means rejecting the small farmer who can’t keep cows in the field.

— Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Stewart was an executive producer of his friend Colbert’s show and harshly criticized the cancellation, rejecting Paramount’s financial justification and accusing the company of bending the knee to the president.

— Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of rejecting

Verb

Without natural sand reaching the beaches, high tides and large surf have resulted in entire beaches being covered with water, cutting off access.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Deadhead blazing star during the growing season to encourage more flowering, but do not prune too soon, as cutting off the foliage may reduce next year’s blooms.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of cutting off

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.

Browse Nearby Words

defecting

defecting (from)

defection

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Defecting (from).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defecting%20%28from%29. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of defecting (from)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

milieu

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes