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

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez initially was angry and defiant. —Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026

Venezuela’s interim leader, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, has alternated between taking a conciliatory approach towards Washington and striking a defiant tone. —Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026

At a protest Saturday in front of the US Embassy in Havana, a defiant Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel promised not to let the Cuba-Venezuela alliance go down without a fight. —Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026

And of course there’s a defiant fist pump at the end. —Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 5 Jan. 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

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

Kids Definition

defiant

adjective

de·​fi·​ant di-ˈfī-ənt 

: full of or showing defiance : impudent, insolent

defiantly adverb