defiance
noun
de·fi·ance
di-ˈfī-ən(t)s 
dē-
Phrases
in defiance of
: contrary to : despite
seemingly in defiance of the laws of physics
He returned to the pulpit May 22 in defiance of an order by church leaders banning him from television preaching for one year.—
Daniel E. Kubiske
Daniel E. KubiskeExamples 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
In the series, journalist Van McClellan defines a Black man on a horse as an act of defiance, power and control.
—James Edward Mills, Outside, 25 Nov. 2025
Born out of Sydney in 1999 by a group of friends fed up with cookie-cutter jeans, Ksubi staked its name on provocation with an ethos forged in defiance; its 2001 debut infamously included 200 live rats on the runway.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 25 Nov. 2025
These sites were built not in defiance of the land but in solidarity with it.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Strauch writes that Quakers who opened their shops in defiance of the prayer days looked to those unaware of their beliefs like supporters of the British treatment of Boston.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
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James Edward Mills, Outside, 25 Nov. 2025
Born out of Sydney in 1999 by a group of friends fed up with cookie-cutter jeans, Ksubi staked its name on provocation with an ethos forged in defiance; its 2001 debut infamously included 200 live rats on the runway.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 25 Nov. 2025
These sites were built not in defiance of the land but in solidarity with it.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Strauch writes that Quakers who opened their shops in defiance of the prayer days looked to those unaware of their beliefs like supporters of the British treatment of Boston.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
Cite this Entry
“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defiance. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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