defiant

adjective

de·​fi·​ant di-ˈfī-ənt 

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

Synonyms of defiant

• rebellious
• rebel
• stubborn

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

As a result, Brown has positioned himself as someone who has stayed defiant in the face of those who would unfairly try to bring him down. — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026

Within 48 hours after Scott’s death, a photo of Winston — shirtless and defiant — made international news. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026

Teams — worried about how a politically defiant Black quarterback on the roster would impact their bottom lines — over the next several seasons signed dozens of inferior quarterbacks to round out their depth charts. — Mike Jones, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Some business owners were defiant about staying in the neighborhood despite the challenges. — Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026

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

Phrases Containing defiant

• oppositional defiant disorder

Rhymes for defiant

• client
• giant
• pliant
• scient
• compliant
• reliant
• suppliant
• noncompliant

Kids Definition

defiant

adjective

de·​fi·​ant di-ˈfī-ənt 

: full of or showing defiance : impudent, insolent

defiantly adverb