adheres (to), hews (to), keeps (to), stands by, 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

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