defection
noun
de·fec·tion di-ˈfek-shən 
: conscious abandonment of allegiance or duty (as to a person, cause, or doctrine) : desertion
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web It was widely expected Utah would struggle in Mitchell’s rookie season, owing to Gordon Hayward’s free-agent defection. 
Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Sep. 2022 Fans of Meghan, now the Duchess of Sussex, blame the palace — more specifically, Harry’s older brother, William, and his wife, Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, for the Sussex’s defection. Washington Post, 23 Apr. 2022 Not to mention, reports are swirling that British Open winner Cameron Smith is among those who will announce their defection as soon as the Tour Championship is over. Paul Newberry, ajc, 26 Aug. 2022 After Brooks Koepka did an about-face in the span of one week in June, no one should be surprised by any defection. Doug Ferguson, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Aug. 2022 Senate Minority Leader John Cooke, R, told the Colorado Sun that, given Priola’s recent voting record, he wasn’t shocked by his defection. Jonathan Edwards, Anchorage Daily News, 23 Aug. 2022 Senate Minority Leader John Cooke (R) told the Colorado Sun that, given Priola’s recent voting record, he wasn’t shocked by his defection. Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 23 Aug. 2022 Beyond the givens of brutal weather and earlier start times that await UCLA and USC upon their 2024 defection to the Big Ten, scores of questions remain. Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2022 That’s a notable level of defection within his own party against an incumbent president struggling with extremely low job approval. David Lautersenior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022 See More
Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Sep. 2022 Fans of Meghan, now the Duchess of Sussex, blame the palace — more specifically, Harry’s older brother, William, and his wife, Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, for the Sussex’s defection. Washington Post, 23 Apr. 2022 Not to mention, reports are swirling that British Open winner Cameron Smith is among those who will announce their defection as soon as the Tour Championship is over. Paul Newberry, ajc, 26 Aug. 2022 After Brooks Koepka did an about-face in the span of one week in June, no one should be surprised by any defection. Doug Ferguson, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Aug. 2022 Senate Minority Leader John Cooke, R, told the Colorado Sun that, given Priola’s recent voting record, he wasn’t shocked by his defection. Jonathan Edwards, Anchorage Daily News, 23 Aug. 2022 Senate Minority Leader John Cooke (R) told the Colorado Sun that, given Priola’s recent voting record, he wasn’t shocked by his defection. Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 23 Aug. 2022 Beyond the givens of brutal weather and earlier start times that await UCLA and USC upon their 2024 defection to the Big Ten, scores of questions remain. Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2022 That’s a notable level of defection within his own party against an incumbent president struggling with extremely low job approval. David Lautersenior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Latin dēfectiōn-, dēfectiō "falling short, failure, abandonment of allegiance," from dēficere "to be lacking, fail, become disaffected, go over (to the side of an opponent)" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at deficient
First Known Use
1532, in the meaning defined above
defection
noun
1
as in apostasy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- apostasy
- schism
- scission
- infidelity
- sectarianism
- separatism
- misconception
- deviation
- deviance
- error
- fallacy
- unconventionality
- misbelief
- heresy
- dissidence
- nonconformity
- iconoclasm
- falsehood
- heterodoxy
- dissension
- dissent
- discord
- myth
- dissention
- disagreement
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- conformity
- orthodoxy
- agreement
- conformation
- conventionality
2
as in desertion
Synonyms & Similar Words
- desertion
- abandonment
- forsaking
- dumping
- discard
- jettisoning
- dereliction
- tergiversation
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- retention
- reclamation
- retrieval
- recoupment
- repossession