apostatizes

Renounces prior beliefs

Apostatizes means to abandon a religious faith, political party, or set of principles one previously held.

The word carries a sense of betrayal or defection, particularly in religious contexts where leaving the faith is considered a serious transgression: He apostatized from the Church after years of doubt.

The noun is apostasy; the person is an apostate.

religious

renounces

Formally rejects or abandons

abandonsCeases to support
defectsFaults or imperfections
convertsThose who switched faiths

heresy · excommunication · blasphemy · infidel · renegade · backslides · recants · disavows · faithless · sacrilege

ideological

abandons

Ceases to support

renouncesFormally rejects or abandons
rejectsRefuses or discards
disavowsDenies responsibility or connection

recants · repudiates · disowns · forsakes · betrays · reverses · disaffiliates · flip-flops · backslides · turns

political

defects

Faults or imperfections

betraysActs against one's allies
turncoatOne who betrays allegiance
deserterOne who abandons duty

traitor · switches · disloyal · renegade · collaborator · dissenter · defector · abandons · renounces · disaffiliates

Opposites

religious/ideological commitment

apostatizesconverts

Those who switched faiths

believes · professes · affirms · commits · adheres

group membership and loyalty

apostatizesjoins

Brings together, attaches

enters · affiliates

loyalty and fidelity

apostatizesperseveres

Continues despite difficulty

holds fast · abides · endures · upholds

Family

apostatize, apostatized

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Negative · Rated G