defiantly

adverb

de·​fi·​ant·​ly di-ˈfī-ənt-lē 

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

Mother Mary is defiantly not the latest in a long line of Hollywood’s biblical epics. —Pete Hammond, Deadline, 14 Apr. 2026

The last thing Louise saw before losing consciousness was this woman’s face, wrinkled in an unapologetic way, old, shamelessly old, defiantly so. —Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026

Jokic’s confidence, though, will remain defiantly measured. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026

An Iranian official defiantly said Tehran had no intention of relinquishing its tight grip on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil. —Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above