renegades
Those who desert
Renegades are people who abandon a group, cause, or allegiance to join an opposing one—deserters or traitors.
The word carries a sense of defiance: a renegade doesn't just leave quietly but actively rebels against former loyalties.
In modern use, renegade often has a romantic edge, suggesting someone who breaks rules or conventions: a renegade cop who plays by his own rules, renegade artists challenging the establishment.
The singular renegade works as both noun and adjective: a renegade faction, going renegade.
Rejects prevailing social standards
- dissenterOpponent of orthodoxy
- rebelAuthority defier
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
disobedience · insubordination · protest · recalcitrance · obstinacy · intransigence · contumacy · oppositionist
Seeking fundamental systemic change
- insurgentOne who revolts
- mutineerSailor who revolts
- insurrectionistOne who rebels violently
- guerrillaIrregular armed fighter
resistance · dissident · partisan · separatist · subversive · agitator · radical · activist
One fleeing authorities
- banditArmed roadside thief
- desperadoBold, reckless outlaw
- criminalPerson who breaks laws
- felonSerious crime perpetrator
gangster · highwayman · rustler · bootlegger · smuggler · buccaneer · pirate · mobster
One who betrays allegiance
- defectorOne who abandons allegiance
- deserterOne who abandons duty
- apostateOne who renounces faith
- betrayerOne who breaks allegiance
double-crosser · backstabber · Judas · quisling · collaborator · disloyal · faithless · treacherous
Attacker of cherished beliefs
- trailblazerFirst to forge ahead
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
- innovatorCreator of new methods
- free-thinkerOne who reasons independently
visionary · groundbreaker · original · individualist · nonconformist · eccentric · unorthodox · game-changer
nonconformist
Rejects prevailing social standards
resistance · disobedience · insubordination · protest · recalcitrance · obstinacy · intransigence · contumacy · oppositionist · refusenik
revolutionary
Seeking fundamental systemic change
- insurgentOne who revolts
- mutineerSailor who revolts
- insurrectionistOne who rebels violently
guerrilla · resistance · dissident · partisan · separatist · subversive · agitator · radical · activist · protester
fugitive
One fleeing authorities
felon · gangster · highwayman · rustler · bootlegger · smuggler · buccaneer · pirate · mobster · brigand
turncoat
One who betrays allegiance
betrayer · double-crosser · backstabber · Judas · quisling · collaborator · disloyal · faithless · treacherous · sellout
iconoclast
Attacker of cherished beliefs
- trailblazerFirst to forge ahead
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
- innovatorCreator of new methods
free-thinker · visionary · groundbreaker · original · individualist · nonconformist · eccentric · unorthodox · game-changer · lone wolf
- dissentersdissenter, dissenters, dissidents, dissident, nonconformists
- entrepreneursfounder, co-founder, startup founder, business owner, serial entrepreneur
- tough guystough guys, tough guy, thug, thugs, enforcer
- factionsfactions, faction, splinter groups, splinter party, blocs
- insurgentsinsurgent, guerrillas, guerrilla, rebel, resistance fighters
- nonbelieversatheist, atheists, agnostic, agnostics, nonbeliever
renegadesconformists
Those obeying social norms
followers · traditionalists · yes-men · team players · company men
renegadestraditionalists
Upholders of established customs
true believers · orthodox · purists · fundamentalists · doctrinaires