1
as in deserter
a person who abandons a cause or organization usually without right
an apostate from communism, he later became one of its harshest critics
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2
as in traitor
one who betrays a trust or an allegiance
became an apostate to liberalism after he had gotten wealthy
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in renegade
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of apostate
Bernard Haykel, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2024
If the conflict in Syria is a religious war against apostates rather than a geopolitical scuffle, more militants will be drawn toward the conflict and away from the crown.
—Andrew L. Peek, Foreign Affairs, 7 Mar. 2016
Liz Cheney, the former Republican congresswoman from Wyoming and an ardent conservative, is an apostate for modern times.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 10 Dec. 2023
The latter — driven by an apocalyptic, millenarian creed — had embarked on a frenzy of killing, torture, grisly execution and abductions of civilians from communities of supposed apostates and enemies.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2023
See all Example Sentences for apostate 
Noun
All the while, Islamist leaders throughout the Muslim world have vilified Riyadh as a U.S. lackey and an apostate regime.
—Bernard Haykel, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2024
If the conflict in Syria is a religious war against apostates rather than a geopolitical scuffle, more militants will be drawn toward the conflict and away from the crown.
—Andrew L. Peek, Foreign Affairs, 7 Mar. 2016
Liz Cheney, the former Republican congresswoman from Wyoming and an ardent conservative, is an apostate for modern times.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 10 Dec. 2023
The latter — driven by an apocalyptic, millenarian creed — had embarked on a frenzy of killing, torture, grisly execution and abductions of civilians from communities of supposed apostates and enemies.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2023
See all Example Sentences for apostate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apostate
Noun
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Go way back to President Lincoln, who made hard decisions himself about deserters from the Army, things like that.CBS News, CBS News, 15 Dec. 2024
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Abraham Lincoln: Issued clemency to thousands of individuals, including Confederate deserters, during the Civil War.Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The remaining players will therefore have to rely on their instincts to know whether there is still a traitor left in the game.Max Goldbart, Deadline, 2 Jan. 2025
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Dumitrescu The Treachery of Translation Three novels explore the idea of translators as traitors to themselves.Justin Salhani, The Dial, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Demand for exorcisms boomed in the wake of the film, along with a crop of renegade priests willing to perform the ritual without the Church's approval.Katie Rife, EW.com, 13 Oct. 2024
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Despite his accomplishments and acclaim, a renegade speculator like Kauffman, without a background in physics or a bridge discipline, faces even more hurdles.Andréa Morris, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
Noun
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In The Rise of Skywalker, the rebels manage to amass an army and take the fight to the evil Emperor Palpatine, who threatened to take over the galaxy with the biggest military force ever seen.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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Their nations have also tried to coordinate on policies toward Syria, where rebels recently toppled Bashar al-Assad, the longtime dictator.Edward Wong, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The potential members of a schismatic Catholic sect are located in areas of the world such as the United States, where the church has significant financial resources and assets, plus a wide array of independent Catholic institutions that operate largely outside the hierarchy of the church.Massimo Faggioli, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2018
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But Barzani’s setback only birthed a schismatic new cadre of Kurdish leaders.Behnam Ben Taleblu, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2017
Noun
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In Myanmar, where the government regards any aid entering conflict zones as support for insurgents, that can mean international groups operate almost clandestinely to get lifesaving provisions to the local groups that can distribute them.Karl Vick, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
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While the military did not disclose details about the individuals killed, Balochistan has long been a hotspot for insurgent activity.John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The school may benefit from exploring nontraditional methods, such as partnering with specialized nongovernmental organizations, to expand the applicant pool, according to the federal report.Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
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Wages haven’t risen alongside rents, so a good number of people — especially those with nontraditional income sources — are struggling with it.Clio Chang, Curbed, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The military also feared the consequences of disintegration, as Assad portrayed himself as a bulwark against chaos and sectarian violence.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
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Under Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing agreement, the president must be a Maronite Christian.Dayana Iwaza, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near apostate
Cite this Entry
“Apostate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apostate. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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