defiance

noun

de·​fi·​ance di-ˈfī-ən(t)s 

dē-

1

: the act or an instance of defying : challenge

jailed for defiance of a court order

2

: disposition to resist : willingness to contend or fight

dealing with a child's defiance

see also:

in defiance of

Synonyms of defiance

• rebellion
• willfulness
• rebelliousness
• disrespect
• contrariness
• disobedience

Examples of defiance in a Sentence

any defiance of the authoritarian regime would have dire consequences

the troubled youth seems to have an ingrained defiance to authority of any sort

Recent Examples on the Web

This brings us back to the spirit of defiance. —Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026

Last month, demonstrators in the city of Morón set the headquarters of the Communist Party on fire—a gesture of defiance hard to imagine even just a year ago. —Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026

That hope is a powerful statement of defiance in the face of the realities of war and the broader sentiment in Israeli and Palestinian public opinion. —Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026

However, an artist’s innate defiance reaps the best art. —Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English diffiaunce, defyaunce, borrowed from Anglo-French defiance, difiaunce, from defier, desfier "to renounce, challenge, defy entry 1" + -ance, -aunce -ance

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing defiance

• in defiance of

Rhymes for defiance

• science
• appliance
• compliance
• reliance
• geoscience
• neuroscience
• noncompliance
• pseudoscience

Kids Definition

defiance

noun

de·​fi·​ance di-ˈfī-ən(t)s 

1

: the act or an instance of defying : challenge

2

: a tendency to resist : contempt of opposition