adheres (to), clings (to), hews (to), keeps (to), sticks (to or with)

cleaves (to)advocates, backs, champions, confirms, defends, endorses(also indorses), espouses, supports, upholdsaccepts, adopts, cherishes, cultivates, embraces, follows, fosters, heedsbackstops, bolsters, boosts, buttresses, enforces, reinforces(also reenforces)

abides by, holds to, lives up to

defects (from)

abandons, abnegates, deserts, forsakes, gives up, relinquishes, spurns, surrendersabjures, recalls, recants, reconsiders, reneges, renounces, retracts, revokes, takes back, unsays, withdrawscontroverts, disagrees (with), disproves, disputes, rebuts, refutescontradicts, denies, disavows, disclaims, disowns, gainsays, negates, negatives, repudiatesbacks down, backs off, backtracks