defiantly

adverb

de·​fi·​ant·​ly di-ˈfī-ənt-lē How to pronounce defiantly (audio)
dē-
: in a defiant manner : in a way that is full of or shows a disposition to challenge, resist, or fight
She spoke out defiantly against the proposed law.
As his empire crumbled amid the … scandal, he defiantly refused a graceful exit.Jonathan Alter
Though restrained, the women do not lack independence, and they wag their tongues as defiantly as ever.Jason Farago

Examples of defiantly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the most telling indicator that Kromer’s vision is not a 2,000-year-old biography but something fresh and vibrant is the nature of the casting itself: A rainbow of races, sexualities and gender identities that defiantly proclaims Jesus came to Earth for everyone. Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 June 2025 Brunetti’s geometric characters, drawn with templates, French curves, and other old-school drafting tools, are defiantly two-dimensional. Air Mail, 31 May 2025 Some say the resulting Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs, which included an image of a bloody Trump defiantly throwing his first in the air, won him the election. M. J. Corey, New Yorker, 24 May 2025 But for Varela and the other holdouts — roughly two dozen of whom stood defiantly on the side of West Flagler Street on Monday, protesting their potentially imminent removal under the punishing mid-morning sun — that deal was unworkable, both in time and money. Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for defiantly

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defiantly was in 1847

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Defiantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defiantly. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!