has defected

USAGE SUMMARY

"has defected" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to someone who has abandoned their allegiance to one group or country in favor of another. Example: "The politician has defected to the opposing party." Alternative expressions include "has deserted" and "has switched allegiance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Syrian chief announces defection Jump to media player The commander of Syria's military police has defected from President Bashar-al Assad's government and reportedly fled to Turkey.

BBC

Syrian chief announces defection Jump to media player The commander of the Syrian military police has defected and joined the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

BBC

The Bosnian Serb vice-president, Dragoljub Mirjanic, once a Karadzic loyalist, has defected to her.

The Economist

The former Conservative Deputy Mayor of London, Richard Barnes, has defected to Ukip.

Independent

As modern dancers see it, he has defected again, to their country.

The New Yorker

chief of the Syrian military police, who has defected from President Bashar al-Assad's government.

The New York Times

The Syrian foreign ministry spokesman, Jihad Makdissi, has defected, Reuters reports, citing a regional diplomatic source.

The Guardian

Not one has defected to support the GOP effort to unravel Obamacare or even gone wobbly.

The Washington Post

Now that he has defected to the United States, Contreras wants to add to his reputation.

The New York Times - Sports

Yanukovych has already lost several MPs and his chief of staff, Serhiy Lyovochkin, has defected.

The Guardian

A prominent lawmaker has defected from his party, and a former prime minister publicly rebuked him.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has defected" to describe a formal abandonment of allegiance, especially in political or military contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "has defected" in casual situations; less formal phrases like "switched sides" are often more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has defected" functions as a verb phrase in the present perfect tense. It indicates a completed action of abandoning allegiance or loyalty, with continuing relevance. Ludwig provides several examples from diverse sources, confirming its proper usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "has defected" is a verb phrase in the present perfect tense, commonly found in news and media contexts. It describes the act of abandoning allegiance or loyalty to a cause, country, or group. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used. While "has defected" is often associated with political or military scenarios, it can be used more broadly to describe a shift in loyalty. When writing, it's important to consider the formality of the context and choose appropriate synonyms like "has switched sides" for less formal situations. As evidenced by Ludwig's examples, the phrase often carries a connotation of controversy or disapproval.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has defected to

Specifies the new allegiance or destination after defecting.

has switched sides

Focuses on changing allegiance, less dramatic than defecting.

has abandoned their post

Emphasizes leaving a position, often with negative connotations.

has deserted

Implies leaving a duty or obligation, often in a military context.

has turned traitor

Highlights betrayal and disloyalty.

has broken ranks

Suggests a departure from established group norms or solidarity.

has betrayed

Stronger term emphasizing the act of treachery.

has crossed the floor

Specifically refers to a politician changing party affiliation.

has resigned and joined

Highlights a two-step process of leaving one group to join another.

has gone over to

Informal way of saying someone switched allegiance or sided with the other party.

FAQs

How do I use "has defected" in a sentence?

Use "has defected" to indicate someone has abandoned their allegiance or loyalty to a cause, country, or group. For example, "The politician "has defected" to the opposing party."

What can I say instead of "has defected"?

You can use alternatives like "has switched sides", "has deserted", or "has abandoned their post" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "has defected" or "defected"?

"Has defected" is the present perfect tense, used when the action happened at an unspecified time in the past or has relevance to the present. "Defected" is the simple past tense, used for actions completed in the past at a specific time.

What's the difference between "has defected" and "has betrayed"?

"Has defected" typically implies a change in allegiance or loyalty, while "has betrayed" suggests a violation of trust or a deliberate act of treachery. Defection doesn't necessarily involve betrayal, but betrayal often accompanies defection.