# apostate

/əˈpɔsteɪt/ (US) · /ɐpˈɒsteɪt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/apostate
Updated: 2026-10-13

## Definition

someone who leaves a religion, belief, or group and no longer follows it.

For teachers: a person who has renounced a religious faith, political loyalty, or set of principles after former adherence.

## Examples

- They call her an apostate after she leaves their church.
- After years of doubt, she left her faith community and was labelled an apostate by some former friends.
- Branded an apostate for questioning doctrine, the scholar found that exile from his community sharpened rather than silenced his search for truth.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.