Word
defector
Phoneticsde·fec·tor, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈfɛktɝ/
UK/dɪfˈɛktɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person who leaves their country, army, or group to join the opposite side.
n. a person who abandons allegiance to a state, party, or cause to join an opposing one. Typically implies a political or ideological break rather than ordinary resignation.
Examples
“The defector tells reporters why he leaves his country.”
“After crossing the border, the defector asks for protection and explains why she no longer supports her former government.”
“The memoir follows a former intelligence officer turned defector, tracing the slow loss of belief that led him to exchange status and family ties for uncertain safety abroad.”
Examples
simple
“The defector tells reporters why he leaves his country.”
contextual
“After crossing the border, the defector asks for protection and explains why she no longer supports her former government.”
complex
“The memoir follows a former intelligence officer turned defector, tracing the slow loss of belief that led him to exchange status and family ties for uncertain safety abroad.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “defector” in context.
Verb
01. debrief defector
“Analysts spent weeks trying to debrief the defector fully.”
verb + noun
02. defector escapes
“The defector escaped while serving as a diplomat abroad.”
noun + verb
03. defector flees
“The defector fled across the border under cover of darkness.”
noun + verb
04. defector reveals
“The defector revealed secret details of the weapons programme.”
noun + verb
05. defector testifies
“The defector testified about human rights abuses in the camp.”
noun + verb
06. interrogate defector
“Intelligence officers interrogated the defector for several days.”
verb + noun
Adjective
07. high-profile defector
“The high-profile defector was granted asylum after a lengthy intelligence debriefing.”
adj + noun
08. north korean defector
“The North Korean defector described life under constant surveillance.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. debriefing of defector
“The debriefing of the defector lasted for almost three weeks.”
noun + prep + noun
10. influx of defectors
“The influx of defectors has strained resettlement services.”
noun + prep + noun
11. debrief a senior defector
“Intelligence agents took months to debrief a senior defector.”
12. grant asylum to a defector
“Sweden agreed to grant asylum to the defector and his family.”
Real-World Examples
“In 2020, a high-profile North Korean defector claimed he was "99% certain" Kim had died following cardiovascular surgery.” “A video message from his father, who he thought was dead, may have led to a prominent North Korean defector recanting parts of the dramatic story of his escape from a prison camp, the head of a U.N. inquiry on the state's human rights abuses said.” “North Korea's best-known defector, Shin Dong-hyuk, dreams of making the "impossible" happen one day - ridding his secretive homeland of the kind of brutal prison camps he says he was born and raised in before a dramatic escape in 2005.” “The most recognized defector from North Korea, Shin Dong-hyuk, aspires to achieve what many deem "impossible"—eliminating the brutal prison camps from his clandestine homeland, where he claims he was born and raised prior to a daring escape in 2005.” Word family
NOUN
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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