Definition

Noun: 1. The act of abandoning or forsaking someone or something, especially in violation of a duty, promise, or allegiance. It implies a willful departure and a complete withdrawal of support, leaving the person or thing behind in a helpless or difficult situation. 2. (Military/Legal) The act of leaving one's military post, duty, or service without permission and with no intention of returning. This is a serious offense.

Usage

• Desertion is a formal and serious word, often used in legal, military, and sociological contexts.
• It carries a strong negative connotation of betrayal, neglect, and failure of responsibility.
• It is typically followed by the preposition "of" (e.g., desertion one's post) or "by" (e.g., desertion a spouse).

Examples

• General Usage:
  • The soldier was court-martialed for desertion.
  • Her husband's sudden desertion left her to raise three children alone.
  • The desertion of the project by its main investor caused its collapse.
• Military/Legal Context:
  • During the war, the penalty for desertion was severe.
  • The lawyer argued that his client's absence did not constitute desertion under the law.

Advanced Usage

• Constructive Desertion: (Legal) A situation where one spouse's behavior is so intolerable that it forces the other spouse to leave the home. The offending spouse is then considered to have committed desertion.
  • The court found his chronic abuse amounted to constructive desertion, making him financially responsible.
• Criminal Desertion: (Legal) The willful abandonment of a spouse or children without providing support and with no intent to return, which can be a criminal offense.
  • He was charged with criminal desertion for leaving his family destitute.

Variants and Related Words

• Desert (verb): To abandon or leave without permission or support. (e.g., )
• Deserter (noun): A person who deserts, especially a soldier.
• Abandonment (noun): A broader term for leaving something or someone, often permanently. Desertion is a specific type of abandonment involving duty or allegiance.

Synonyms

• Abandonment
• Forsaking
• Dereliction (of duty)
• Defection (especially from a country or cause)
• Absconding

Antonyms

• Loyalty
• Fidelity
• Adherence
• Support
• Commitment

Related Phrases

• Charge of desertion: The formal accusation of the crime of desertion.
  • He faced a charge of desertion before the military tribunal.
• Wife/Husband/Child desertion: Specific legal terms for abandoning one's family.
  • The old laws on wife desertion have been updated.

Noun

1. the act of giving something up
2. withdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility
   • his abandonment of his wife and children left them penniless