DESERTER Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

deserter

noun

di-ˈzər-tər

Definition of deserter

as in traitor

a person who abandons a cause or organization usually without right we had orders to find and capture the deserters before they could reveal our location

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of deserter One of the carriages on Trotsky’s train was set aside as a revolutionary tribunal to deal with deserters and cowards. — Literary Hub, 25 Feb. 2026 During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln pardoned many Union deserters; after it, Andrew Johnson blanket pardoned nearly all Confederate soldiers. — Willem Marx, Vanity Fair, 18 Feb. 2026 This notably happened during the Civil War with enlistment bounties to track down deserters. — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Dec. 2025 Harry Truman granted amnesty to certain World War II deserters, while Jimmy Carter granted pardons to hundreds of thousands of individuals who dodged the draft during the Vietnam War. — Stewart Ulrich, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deserter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deserter

Noun

Abby became suspicious of Kuehl during a private conversation about possible traitors in the group.

— Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026
Abraham and Szor, both Israeli filmmakers, have been denounced as traitors in Israel, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself has threatened to revoke their citizenship.

— Justin Chang, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of traitor

Noun

The latest conflict between the Saudis and the Houthis began last month after the rebels seized key areas along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical waterway for oil shipments.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
The latest conflict between the Saudis and the Houthis began last month after the rebels seized key areas along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical waterway for Gulf oil shipments.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of rebel

Noun

Niger’s ruling junta survived its most serious internal challenge since the 2023 coup after renegade soldiers mutinied in Niamey and Russian Africa Corps fighters helped presidential guards retake a key airbase.

— Chinedu Asadu, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
In some ways, there is a strange kind of unity to these three—all are set during the Depression, all feature stylish renegades.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of renegade

Noun

Its policy is to accept and support defectors from North Korea; more than 34,000 have arrived since the end of the Korean War.

— Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 29 Sep. 2026
The South legally regards the North as part of its territory and has a policy of accepting and financially supporting North Korean defectors.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of defector

Browse Nearby Words

deserted

deserter

deserters

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“Deserter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deserter. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of deserter

noun

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