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
His defiance has earned him a bump in public support, with recent polls showing more Brazilians blame Bolsonaro's camp for the tariffs than the sitting government.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Israel captured the West Bank from Jordan in the 1967 war and began establishing Jewish settlements there soon after in defiance of international law.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
But the foundation of her defiance lies in trying to mine purpose, and perhaps even joy out of this existence.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
But interviews with more than a dozen officials and political observers by Suncoast Searchlight and the Bradenton Herald suggest many see the showdown as an unmistakable warning shot to other local governments considering similar defiance.
—Josh Salman, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
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Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Israel captured the West Bank from Jordan in the 1967 war and began establishing Jewish settlements there soon after in defiance of international law.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
But the foundation of her defiance lies in trying to mine purpose, and perhaps even joy out of this existence.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025
But interviews with more than a dozen officials and political observers by Suncoast Searchlight and the Bradenton Herald suggest many see the showdown as an unmistakable warning shot to other local governments considering similar defiance.
—Josh Salman, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 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 10 Sep. 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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