apostate
uh-POS-tayt
/əˈpɒsteɪt/
A person who abandons or renounces a religious or political belief or principal cause.
Carries a harsh tone of betrayal from the perspective of the group left behind.
The story behind the word. In ancient Greek, an 'apostates' was literally someone who 'stood away' or ran off—often used to describe deserting soldiers or runaway slaves. Early Christian scholars adopted the word for believers who abandoned their faith under threat of Roman persecution.
Word relationships
- renegade: 'Renegade' emphasizes rebellion and outlaw behavior, while 'apostate' focuses on formal abandonment of religious or ideological beliefs.
- heretic: A 'heretic' holds unorthodox views while claiming to remain inside the group; an 'apostate' leaves or rejects the belief system entirely.
- adherent: Someone who stays loyal and continues to support a belief or group.
- devotee: An ardent, loyal follower.
Commonly confused with
- heretic: A heretic twists the doctrine from within; an apostate abandons and rejects the doctrine completely.
Word family
- apostasy (noun): The formal abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief.
- apostatize (verb): To abandon or renounce one's religious or political beliefs.
Collocations
- branded an apostate
- political apostate
- religious apostate
- an apostate member
Example sentences
- "The radical group treated any apostate who left their movement as a traitor subject to execution." Religious conflict
- "Once a devout Marxist, he became an outspoken apostate and denounced his former party in print." Political history
Memory hook
APOSTATE: Standing AWAY (apo) from the state or faith you once stood for. Standing far away from your former faith.
When not to use
Do not use for someone who simply drifts away passively from a group without an intentional break or public renunciation.
Fun facts
- Julian the Apostate was the 4th-century Roman Emperor who famously renounced Christianity and tried to restore traditional Roman paganism.
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