apostatize

verb

Definition of apostatizenext
Enter your own sentence containing apostatize , and get words to replace it.
loading
as in to renounce

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of apostatize In one of the more powerful sequences, three older men are hung from crosses positioned deep in the ocean’s waters — the thrashing waves killing them slowly for their refusal to apostatize. — Lindsey Bahr, Orange County Register, 6 Jan. 2017 The conundrum is one that has nothing to do with Rodrigues’ decision whether to lay down his life, but with his reluctance to apostatize, even in the face of others’ deaths. — Michael O'Sullivan, The Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2017 Savannah's mom left the church in 2015, when leaked official documents confirmed their policy of apostatizing same-sex couples. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, 20 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apostatize
  1. renounce
  2. forsake
  3. repudiate
  4. reject
  5. abandon
  6. abdicate
  7. disown
  8. quit
Verb
  • As the historian Landon Storrs has shown, the Red Scare pressured an entire generation of federal workers into putting their heads down, keeping their mouths shut, and renouncing interest in progressive ideas.
    — Beverly Gage, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
  • But the Polisario could renounce its claim to Dakhla in exchange for other concessions more meaningful to its own projects and ambitions.
    — Hannah Rae Armstrong, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
Definition of renounce
Verb
  • Just remember, your bedroom should be a sanctuary, so don’t forsake your coziness or style when refreshing your space.
    — Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Newcastle were cowed and hanging on, forsaking ground.
    — Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Definition of forsake
Verb
  • The American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the National Association for Social Workers and other leading medical groups have all repudiated the practice.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2025
  • But the negro resents and utterly repudiates the effort to blacken his good name by asserting that assaults upon women are peculiar to his race.
    — Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 21 Feb. 2025
Definition of repudiate
Verb
  • This idea of spreading the games out as widely as possible was rejected by Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois on Real Madrid TV after Saturday’s win at Villarreal.
    — Dermot Corrigan, The Athletic, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The Florida Supreme Court and a federal appeals court each rejected appeals to delay James' execution.
    — Landon Mion, Fox News, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of reject
Verb
  • The decision, however, has been the subject of apparent criticism from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, who have claimed Williams and Wilmore were abandoned by the Biden administration.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The mission drew political attention when Trump and Musk vowed to speed up the astronauts' return and accused former president Joe Biden's administration of abandoning the astronauts.
    — David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of abandon
Verb
  • However, when Edward abdicated, the design was revised and a second batch of mugs was produced for the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
    — Tim McKeough, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025
  • If and when Lorne Michaels abdicates the throne (retires from SNL), who assumes the crown?
    — Andy Hoglund, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2025
Definition of abdicate
Verb
  • Soon after the pair met, Shari was disowned by Ruby, who also asked Kevin and Chad to move out of the house.
    — Nicole Acosta, People.com, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Both men have largely disowned the film, which introduces elements of the supernatural to the Blues Brothers universe and boasts some of the worst special effects ever seen in a studio film.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 Feb. 2025
Definition of disown
Verb
  • This is crucial, as 1 in 3 workers report having quit a role due to not aligning with the viewpoints of an organization’s leadership.
    — Sander van ‘t Noordende, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • At the time, Mitsuda was even threatening to quit at Square completely if he wasn’t given the chance to compose a game.
    — Hayes Madsen, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of quit

Browse Nearby Words

apostatize
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Apostatize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apostatize. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All