deserter

American  

[dih-zur-ter] / dɪˈzɜr tər /

noun

1. a soldier or draftee who leaves or runs away from service or duty with the intention of never returning.

   Deserters from the rebel army tell of low morale among its remaining fighters.

2. a person who fails to uphold a cause or who abandons someone else, especially in violation of a promise or obligation.

   Some of those remaining in the home country view emigrants living abroad as deserters from their mother culture.

   A family deserter is one who can but will not support a spouse or dependents.

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Other Word Forms

• predeserter
  noun

Etymology

Origin of deserter

desert ² ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

Someone who abandons their responsibilities is a deserter. Being a military deserter is particularly serious, with harsh consequences. Anyone who deserts a post or obligation, abandoning it in an irresponsible, disloyal way, is a deserter. Your friends may call you a deserter if you promise to help them rake leaves but wander home after 20 minutes to watch TV instead. In the military, being a deserter is nearly as bad as being a traitor. During wartime, deserters can face long prison sentences.

Example Sentences

Revere outfits the deserter with homespun clothes and collects the buttons from his uniform to melt down for silverwork.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

After six weeks, he ran out of money and moved in with another Russian deserter, Yevgeny.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 11, 2024

It has so far not called him a deserter, even though he crossed the border without authorization while on active duty.

From Reuters • Sep. 28, 2023

As a deserter from the Ukrainian army, he would face 10 years in jail if he was caught.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2023

I became a deserter four years ago, when I fled from Lithuania.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

Related Words

• defector
• escapee
• lawbreaker