as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
the defiant puppy refused to let go of the football
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Recent Examples of defiant
Trump’s world order Mr. Orban’s defiant welcome of Mr. Netanyahu has highlighted one way the world has changed since Mr. Trump came to power: By throwing out the global rule book on longstanding alliances and trade rules, the American president has given permission to others to break the rules too.
—
Katrin Bennhold, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
The White House has remained defiant in the face of unraveling markets, reiterating that the shockingly high tariffs unveiled Wednesday night will take effect April 9, as scheduled.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, has struck a similarly defiant note.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
More: China defiant, accuses Trump of 'blackmail' over 104% tariff threat: Live updates
On Monday, Trump described similar negotiations underway with Japan as world leaders try to convince the U.S. president to roll back his new tariffs on all imports.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiant
Katrin Bennhold, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
The White House has remained defiant in the face of unraveling markets, reiterating that the shockingly high tariffs unveiled Wednesday night will take effect April 9, as scheduled.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, has struck a similarly defiant note.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
More: China defiant, accuses Trump of 'blackmail' over 104% tariff threat: Live updates
On Monday, Trump described similar negotiations underway with Japan as world leaders try to convince the U.S. president to roll back his new tariffs on all imports.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiant
Adjective
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Lesser powers that find themselves under the dominion of a great power against their wishes can be resentful and rebellious.—
Margaret MacMillan,
The Atlantic,
30 Apr. 2025
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In 1978, an ambitious and rebellious young woman, Marina Bulgari, decamped from her family business to branch out with her own jewelry brand.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Plutarch, future Head Gamemaker of the 75th Hunger Games and commander of the rebel forces, is a young Capitol cameraman in this timeline who is tasked with documenting the tributes of District 12.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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The civil war in Sudan, between the government’s SAF and the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has just passed its grisly second anniversary.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Traders do see the Fed cutting in June, but much can change between now and then, and a stubborn central bank could set off Trump again.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2025
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The most glaring of those misses came against Arsenal in October, with Bournemouth trying to break down a stubborn defence following William Saliba’s dismissal.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defiant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiant. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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