defiance

noun

di-ˈfī-ən(t)s How to pronounce defiance (audio)
Definition of defiancenext
1
as in rebellion
refusal to obey any defiance of the authoritarian regime would have dire consequences

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opposition
the inclination to resist the troubled youth seems to have an ingrained defiance to authority of any sort

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel a deeply troubled person who seemed the very soul of defiance

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of defiance The funeral was also used to project defiance, with thousands of mourners filling Tehran and chanting for revenge. — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 6 July 2026 But demonstrating the defiance that would come to define his game, Djokovic saved six match points before coming back to win in five sets. — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 5 July 2026 The defiance is striking for a leader who has built a powerful online footprint. — Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 5 July 2026 After four years of war, life in Lukianivka, the most frequently hit part of the Ukrainian capital, is a mix of adaptability and endurance, defiance and denial, resignation and resilience. — Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for defiance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiance
  1. rebellion
  2. opposition
  3. aggression
  4. willfulness
  5. resistance
  6. aggressiveness
  7. rebelliousness
  8. objection
Noun
  • Kathleen insists that Lukas was likely incinerated, along with all of the other corpses that piled up in the Down Deep during the rebellion.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • In the film, out September 11, Garfield plays Ploughman, the legendary leader of a ferocious rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 July 2026
Definition of rebellion
Noun
  • And Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her ruling Liberal Democratic Party are among the sternest voices of opposition to such a change.
    — Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • Advertisement The biggest difference between another Netanyahu government and an opposition win lies in each side’s approach to a battered but newly emboldened government in Tehran.
    — Ian Bremmer, Time, 14 July 2026
Definition of opposition
Noun
  • Yet the franchise, for all its mayhem, didn’t run on belligerence, or at least channelled its aggression in a disarming way.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
  • Even after the sub-par performance against Paraguay – admittedly, the South Americans’ physicality and aggression contributed to that – the fans’ belief never wavered.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
Definition of aggression
Noun
  • Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.
    — David Brooks, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Though the Durutti Column had been a disaster, Wilson was fascinated by the guitarist, who admired punk’s willfulness even though his own musical taste tended toward jazz, blues, and the classical tradition.
    — Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026
Definition of willfulness
Noun
  • Shimizu voluntarily stayed in Vietnam after World War II to join the Việt Minh resistance, opposing French colonial reoccupation, the photographer explained.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • Ashley Zehnder is the CEO of Fauna Bio, a company that searches for disease resistance therapies among mammals equipped with unique adaptations.
    — Ari Daniel, NPR, 13 July 2026
Definition of resistance
Noun
  • The coach hopes that expanded duties for Webb, a 2017 third-round pick who made one career NFL start, translate into growth for the Broncos’ offense and improvement for Nix in key areas, including accuracy, touch and aggressiveness.
    — Mike Jones, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • Cannon breaks down the accountability, aggressiveness and the perspective needed to play effective defense after the team’s reset week.
    — John W. Davis, Oc Register, 5 July 2026
Definition of aggressiveness
Noun
  • Marji’s rebelliousness, both admirable and terrifying for those who love her, is her salient characteristic.
    — Hillary Chute, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
  • The pseudo-goth hair and costume choices speak to an inner rebelliousness that isn’t so much unleashed as forced loose by a system that values the appearance of a mythical impartiality over her humanity, leaving her with little recourse but to step outside the confines of the law.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026
Definition of rebelliousness
Noun
  • The people who did it anyway The objection says courage doesn't survive the incentives.
    — Sachin H. Jain, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • In one case, the panel concluded Martinez improperly allowed two high school students to sit with him on the bench during a hearing despite an objection from one of the parties.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026
Definition of objection

Phrases Containing defiance

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defiance
defiances
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Cite this Entry

“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiance. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on defiance

Nglish: Translation of defiance for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about defiance

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