Is this your crossword clue?
"desertion" is also used as a crossword clue. If that's what you saw, the answer is often abandonment (11 letters).
Definitions
withdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility
Word origin
Borrowed from Middle French désertion.
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer1 curated clues
01“Abandonment”9 letters
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