renegade
renegade — adjective
1. describing a person who has left the political group, religious faith, or cause
describing a person who has left the political group, religious faith, or cause they once supported and has turned to an opposing side.
A renegade priest in the novel escapes to a land ruled by a different faith.
renegade + priest: describes a faith deserter
The renegade general led his soldiers across the border to fight for the enemy.
A group of renegade soldiers in the north refused to carry out their commander's orders.
A renegade monk in the region spread teachings that the church had officially declared false.
- traitorous
stronger; implies active betrayal with harmful intent
- faithless
formal and literary; suggests broken trust rather than switched sides
- insurgent
focuses on active rebellion against authority rather than joining an opposing side
文法句型
renegade + noun
用法筆記
Used before the noun it describes (attributive position). Unlike 'traitor', 'renegade' as an adjective does not carry the legal weight of betrayal — it simply states that the person changed allegiance.
常見錯誤
renegade — noun
1. someone who breaks away from a political party, religious community, or other gr
someone who breaks away from a political party, religious community, or other group they were loyal to, and transfers their support to an opposite group.
Vivek was called a renegade after he left the party to support their opponents.
called a renegade
The former minister was a political renegade who joined the extreme opposition group.
political renegade
Dewi read about a religious renegade who abandoned his church for a rival faith.
The morning newspaper called the senator a renegade after he voted with the opposition party.
文法句型
a renegade
a political renegade
a religious renegade
branded a renegade
用法筆記
Often paired with an adjective specifying the group type: 'political renegade', 'religious renegade'. The person usually moves to a group with very different views, not just a similar group. Distinguish from sense 2: here the person joins another organised group rather than rejecting all group structures.
常見錯誤
2. a person who refuses to follow society's usual rules or the law, often living ap
a person who refuses to follow society's usual rules or the law, often living apart from the community they came from.
Liang lived as a renegade in the forest, rejecting every rule of city life.
lived as a renegade
Sofia's uncle was a renegade who refused to register his children for school.
renegade who refused to [do something]
A group of renegades set up camp outside town and lived by their own laws.
Liam grew up in a strict home and became a renegade who rejected all religion.
- outlaw
stronger; implies the person has committed crimes and is wanted by law
- maverick
less severe; an independent person who does not follow the crowd but still lives within society
- nonconformist
more neutral and broader; may describe any person who does not follow social customs
- rebel
focuses on active resistance against authority rather than withdrawal from society
- conformist
a person who follows society's rules and expectations
- law-abiding citizen
a person who obeys the laws of their community
文法句型
a renegade
live as a renegade
branded a renegade
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense describes someone who rejects social structures entirely rather than moving from one group to another. Sense 2 applies to outlaws, rebels against social norms, and people who deliberately live outside conventional society.
常見錯誤
renegade — verb
1. to leave one's own group or cause and join the opposing side.
to leave one's own group or cause and join the opposing side.
During the civil war, several officers renegaded and joined the rebel forces in the south.
renegaded + joined: verb pattern for switching sides
When Élise renegaded from the research institute, her former colleagues felt deeply betrayed.
Gabriel renegaded from the political movement when it no longer matched his ideals.
A small team of scientists renegaded from the state project and took their work abroad.
- defect
the standard modern verb for switching sides in political or military contexts
- desert
stronger; implies abandoning a duty or obligation, especially military
- apostatize
formal; specifically for abandoning a religious faith
- remain loyal
to stay faithful to one's group
- stay true
to continue supporting one's cause
文法句型
renegade from [group]
renegade to [side]
用法筆記
Very rare in modern English; use 'defect' or 'desert' instead in everyday speech. Most readers encounter 'renegade' as a noun or adjective. The verb is occasionally found in historical or formal writing.