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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defiance
Rent it on most major platforms Forbidden to enter the stadium, several Iranian women sneak in dressed as men to watch a World Cup qualifying match in the master director Jafar Panahi’s movie about everyday defiance under authoritarianism.
—
Carlos Aguilar,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 June 2026
And without significant sanctions relief that alleviates the suffering of ordinary Iranians and sets the country on a clear path to economic recovery, difficult questions could again arise about the regime’s longstanding policy of defiance against the US.
—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
Brunson, the 6-2 poster child for willpower and odds-defiance, made a rare reference to the critics who had dismissed him as too small to be the leading player on a championship team.
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Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
18 June 2026
Cape Verde’s defiance, and the heroics of 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha in particular, will be remembered for some time in Spain.
—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for defiance
Carlos Aguilar,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 June 2026
And without significant sanctions relief that alleviates the suffering of ordinary Iranians and sets the country on a clear path to economic recovery, difficult questions could again arise about the regime’s longstanding policy of defiance against the US.
—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
Brunson, the 6-2 poster child for willpower and odds-defiance, made a rare reference to the critics who had dismissed him as too small to be the leading player on a championship team.
—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
18 June 2026
Cape Verde’s defiance, and the heroics of 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha in particular, will be remembered for some time in Spain.
—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for defiance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiance
Noun
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The property tax rebellion is part of a broader push on both the right and left to give tax exemptions to seniors, workers who rely on tips, and the bottom 50% of the country to address cost-of-living pressures.
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House Democrats are betting that a future Speaker Hakeem Jeffries wouldn’t struggle with the type of aisle-crossing rebellion that’s often vexed current Speaker Mike Johnson.
Noun
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There was already some opposition from aldermen who questioned the department's funding.
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The Gulf States have been outspoken about their opposition to the charging of tolls.
Noun
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This time in the ring, Louis was supported by white and Black Americans alike, who were more unified against German aggression as World War II loomed.
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Twelve years later, there’s more salt and pepper in Rogen’s beard and more vinegar in his demeanor; the let-it-all-hang-out comic boisterousness of his Judd Apatow days has hardened into a shell of middle-aged aggression.
Noun
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Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.
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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.
Noun
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There’s a dry, droll seam of generation-gap humor in George’s continued, failed attempts to insert himself as a father figure into the life of someone who never asked for one, and Zeke’s blankly bemused resistance to his efforts.
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The plan to buy large warehouses unfit for human habitation and spend millions more to convert them to prisons sparked nationwide backlash and pointed resistance in Social Circle and Oakwood.
Noun
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Dillon Thieneman’s speed Since draft night in April, Thieneman has been lauded for his combination of speed, instincts and aggressiveness.
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This is a lineup structured to thrive with a small-ball approach — high batting average, chaos and aggressiveness on the basepaths, and manufacturing runs.
Noun
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Marji’s rebelliousness, both admirable and terrifying for those who love her, is her salient characteristic.
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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.
Noun
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Most of those objections no longer hold.
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Republicans are considering a sizable, $350-billion-plus increase in Defense spending on par with the White House’s budget request that the GOP could pass on its own, through the reconciliation process that allows Senate majority rule over potential objections from Democrats.
Cite this Entry
“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiance. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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