defection

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun withdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility
noun the state of having rejected your religious beliefs or your political party or a cause (often in favor of opposing beliefs or causes)

From Latin dēfectiō (stem dēfectiōn-).

"Defection," said I, "is inevitable. — Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete, Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne
The defection of the whole army rapidly followed. — A Modern History, From the Time of Luther to the Fall of Napoleon : For the Use of Schools and Colleges, Lord, John
No doubt he felt heart-broken over Sibyl's defection. — The Man Who Did the Right Thing: A Romance, Harry Johnston

desertion, abandonment

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