Meaning & use
desertion
Last updated
the act of abandoning a person, duty, or post, especially without permission or justification
See it in a sentence
The soldier was court-martialed for desertion after leaving his unit.
Her husband's desertion left her to raise the children alone.
A note on using this word
Desertion carries a strong connotation of breaking a duty or commitment, whether military, marital, or professional.
Words with a similar meaning
abandonmentdefection
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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