DEFECTING Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

defecting 1 of 2

adjective

as in apostate

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defecting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of defect

as in emigrating

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defecting

Adjective

The president can call out the army against seceding states and their renegade congresspeople.

— Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
As a substitute, the district had hired a renegade hippie, Bromley Stokes, who’d recently washed up in town.

— Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Definition of renegade

Verb

That simple, honorable point about the dignity of emigrating remains painfully controversial in Dean’s home country and here.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Cost of living and taxes ranked above political climate as the primary driver—cited by 68% of those open to emigrating, compared to 54% who named politics.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 June 2026

Definition of emigrating

Adjective

Ferdon detailed how the crypto currency exchange became one of the biggest brands in the emerging world of nontraditional finance and banking options.

— Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 3 July 2026
Policies often fail to address tokenized assets and nontraditional trading activity, while surveillance systems still rely primarily on traditional broker and exchange data, leaving much of the decentralized and on-chain environment unmonitored.

— Kelvin Dickenson, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of nontraditional

Verb

For instance, while journeying through the depths of Pisces, Luna will clash with Uranus in Gemini this afternoon, triggering a restless undercurrent that can make routines, restrictions and other people’s expectations all the more irritating.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
The 16-mile-wide (26 kilometer) giant of a comet spends its life journeying back and forth between the outer and inner solar system, where its frigid body is heated by the sun, triggering dramatic outbursts of activity.

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of journeying

Verb

No surprise that Stanley and Simmons have been friends since childhood with the decades of KISS touring with their families.

— Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
The industry has borrowed the tactics of touring artists and fashion drops, promoting limited premium-format screenings and slinging special-edition popcorn buckets.

— Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of touring

Verb

And for broadcast leaders, please keep investing in reporters and tools to serve the traveling public.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 9 Aug. 2026
The Toyota sideswiped another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction and lost control, striking Bowling near 35th Avenue and Mangels Avenue, the Oakland police previously told PEOPLE.

— Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of traveling

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“Defecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defecting. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of defecting

adjective

verb

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