deserter
Abandons their post
A deserter is someone who abandons a duty or obligation, most often a soldier who leaves military service without permission.
The word carries strong moral weight—deserters face court-martial and imprisonment, and historically execution.
Beyond military contexts, deserter applies to anyone who abandons a cause or group when loyalty was expected: The party faithful called him a deserter after he switched sides.
Absent without permission
- defectorOne who abandons allegiance
- turncoatOne who betrays allegiance
- mutineerSailor who revolts
- absconderOne who flees secretly
shirker · insubordinate · court-martial · dishonorable · discharge · absent · unauthorized · leave
One who abandons allegiance
- apostateOne who renounces faith
- renegadeDeserter of a cause
- dissenterOpponent of orthodoxy
- secederOne who formally withdraws
convert · rebel · dissident · exile · refugee · asylum · ideological · political
One who betrays allegiance
- turncoatOne who betrays allegiance
- backstabberDisloyal pretend ally
- double-crosserOne who deceives confederates
- renegadeDeserter of a cause
quisling · Judas · sellout · rat · betrayer · perfidy · treason · disloyalty
AWOL
Absent without permission
absconder · shirker · insubordinate · court-martial · dishonorable · discharge · absent · unauthorized · leave · truant
defector
One who abandons allegiance
seceder · convert · rebel · dissident · exile · refugee · asylum · ideological · political · emigrate
traitor
One who betrays allegiance
- turncoatOne who betrays allegiance
- backstabberDisloyal pretend ally
- double-crosserOne who deceives confederates
renegade · quisling · Judas · sellout · rat · betrayer · perfidy · treason · disloyalty · treachery
escapee
One who fled confinement
fugitive · manhunt · pursuit · flee · hide · clandestine · underground · elude · chase · warrant
forsake
Abandon completely
vacate · withdraw · depart · flee · disown · renounce · relinquish · strand · jilt · maroon
- Traitorstraitor, turncoat, betrayer, Judas, Benedict Arnold
- renegadesrenegade, rebel, traitor, turncoat, defector
- defectiondefection, defect, defector, turncoat, betray
- Military DesertionAWOL, absconding, absconders, defection, defectors
- military relationshipsally, enemy, comrade, commander, subordinate
- military statusactive duty, enlisted, retired, deployed, veteran
- desert islandIsolated landmass, no inhabitants
- desert roseTropical succulent with pink flowers
- desert nomadsWanderers of dry wastelands
- desert regionsDry, barren land areas
- deserted islandLandmass without inhabitants
- deserted streetsThoroughfares without people