defection
Americannoun
-
desertion from allegiance, loyalty, duty, or the like; apostasy.
His defection to East Germany was regarded as treasonable.
- Antonyms:
- loyalty
-
failure; lack; loss.
He was overcome by a sudden defection of courage.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of defection
1535–45; < Latin dēfectiōn- (stem of dēfectiō ), equivalent to dēfect ( us ) ( see defect) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Is your team so bad you have begun supporting a rival team? Then you're guilty of defection — the act of shifting your support to a new cause. Most people won't thank you for your defection. No matter how much you might believe in the new sports team, or political party, or whatever, defection is generally used as a critical term. Defection implies a lack of character — as you can tell by looking at its Latin roots, which come from the word defectionum, meaning "desertion, revolt, failure." Clearly, no one likes a defector.
Vocabulary lists containing defection
"Coming of Age in the Dawnland," Vocabulary from the historical excerpt
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My Brother Sam is Dead
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Mockingjay
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Following the defection of Pennsylvania’s Arlen Specter in 2009, Minority Leader McConnell presided over a Republican Conference of only 40 senators—the smallest GOP caucus in 30 years.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
That’s what the defection of his largest influencers portends.
From Salon • Apr. 10, 2026
Customer defection is of increasing concern for both airline management and shareholders, according to ASCI.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026
Idlout endorsed Lewis as leader prior to her defection but said she decided to cross the floor after "much personal reflection" and the desire to be part of "a strong and ambitious government".
From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026
They knew that his defection was real, and they worked around the clock to contain the fallout.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
