defiant

adjective

de·​fi·​ant di-ˈfī-ənt How to pronounce defiant (audio)
dē-
: full of or showing a disposition to challenge, resist, or fight : full of or showing defiance : bold, impudent
defiant rebels
a defiant refusal
Mantor struck a defiant pose, his chin out, and rocked for a moment on the heels of his boots.Christopher Ketcham

Examples of defiant in a Sentence

He's taken a defiant stand on the issue. the defiant puppy refused to let go of the football
Recent Examples on the Web The defiant speech came at a crucial time, when many voters are expressing doubts about Mr. Biden's age and his ability to do the job. Stefan Becket, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2024 Still, the music blares, defiant and impossible to ignore. Kyle Buchanan, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 The attorneys who haven’t taken plea deals in Georgia have all pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, and Giuliani and Eastman have continued to remain defiant and insist on the false election fraud allegations. Alison Durkee, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 In his signature defiant but sarcastic style, Navalny detailed the realities of the Russian penitentiary system and promoted new anti-corruption investigations his team had been working on in exile. Yuliya Talmazan, NBC News, 16 Feb. 2024 While the film does focus on the lawsuit, their defiant love is at the center of the narrative, thanks in part to the stellar performances by Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton. Lia Beck, EW.com, 6 Feb. 2024 But the Gillis that showed up to Studio 8H was less defiant than chastened. Rebecca Sun, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2024 Foster’s version of Sarah was more defiant and rough-edged than the producers and the director, Jonathan Kaplan, wanted. Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2024 Either way, Willis fought back with gobsmacking fury — defiant in power pink. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defiant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

in part borrowed from French défiant "mistrustful," from present participle of défier "to mistrust, challenge, defy entry 1," going back to Old French; in part from defi(ance) + -ant entry 2

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defiant was in 1583

Dictionary Entries Near defiant

Cite this Entry

“Defiant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defiant. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

defiant

adjective
de·​fi·​ant di-ˈfī-ənt How to pronounce defiant (audio)
: full of or showing defiance : impudent, insolent
defiantly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on defiant

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