1
as in rebellion
refusal to obey
any defiance of the authoritarian regime would have dire consequences
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
a deeply troubled person who seemed the very soul of defiance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defiance
Texas remained part of Mexico until about 1835, when an act of defiance sparked the Battle of Gonzales, or the first engagement of the Texas Revolution.
—
Zacharia Washington, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026
Venezuelan military officials were quick to project defiance in video messages.
—Isabel Debre, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026
Venezuelan military officials were quick to project defiance in video messages.
—Isabel Debre, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
Australia’s Sydney marked the new year with defiance, celebrating despite the nation’s worst mass shooting in 30 years that killed 15 at Bondi Beach.
—Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
Zacharia Washington, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026
Venezuelan military officials were quick to project defiance in video messages.
—Isabel Debre, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026
Venezuelan military officials were quick to project defiance in video messages.
—Isabel Debre, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
Australia’s Sydney marked the new year with defiance, celebrating despite the nation’s worst mass shooting in 30 years that killed 15 at Bondi Beach.
—Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiance
Noun
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Many standard policies carve out exceptions for disruptions due to war, undeclared war, civil disorder, rebellion, military activity or government intervention, experts said.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Storytelling will never not be a form of rebellion.—
Laura Dave,
Time,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Nominees for foundation’s the Noble Prize include Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López, who was sentenced to 14 years in jail in 2014 for his democracy campaign, but managed to escape the country disguised as an electrician in 2020 while under house arrest.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
8 Jan. 2026
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But the measure stalled in the state Senate, facing opposition from real estate agents and the California Apartment Association.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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His reckless decision to escalate the aggression and number of immigration agents is a causal factor, regardless of the outcome of an investigation into this tragic death.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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When the music dissolves into an ethereal, ambient soundscape and a psychedelic, spiritual journey, that’s where finding the right amount of energy, aggression, violence, and grief, to support the story and to explain things that the dialog couldn’t, was the most challenging part.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The orphan’s predicament is as much a matter of willfulness as of survival—inseparable, as in the works of Charles Dickens, from a dream of being somehow rescued by the idea of an adult world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
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While this change reduces the explicit admission of willfulness, a narrative is still required.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Beyond potential political resistance, implementing the name changes saddles campus administrators with costly and time-consuming busywork, including updating legal documents, maps and physical signage.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
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The study found that a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training appears to be more effective than aerobic alone.—
Allison Aubrey,
NPR,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The 2026 version of the San Diego Mojo is built on a blend of toughness and aggressiveness that shines through with a relentless defense that extends rallies and attempts to frustrate the offense on the other side of the net.—
Tim Meehan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
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Davion Mitchell’s defense and aggressiveness?—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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At times, Carol’s admirable rebelliousness seems to come at the cost of self-flagellating destruction, a badge of honor to be miserable.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
8 Nov. 2025
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The performance goes from fiery to ineffectual as DiCaprio’s character, Bob, loses his youthful rebelliousness in a haze of pot and resignation.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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At a City Hall news conference, the mayor responded to a question about retroactive changes to the 2026 budget, which aldermen passed over his objections last month, by reiterating the package could force personnel cuts.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
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During the certification process, members of Congress have the opportunity to object to a state’s results, which triggers debate and then a vote about whether the objection is to be upheld.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiance. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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