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 No wonder the new York head coach cut quite the forlorn figure on the touchline during the closing exchanges, even allowing for his post-match words of defiance for the boo boys. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Those acts of defiance, as well as frequent protests by retirees against worsening livelihoods, have helped shatter the narrative that Iranians are united behind their country’s war against the United States and Israel. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Aug. 2026 Its righteousness and defiance; its relentless forward motion; its assumption of a common social struggle are all native to that last year before Ronald Reagan. — Lucy Sante, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026 The film, featuring the music of Masekela, Makeba, and Simon, is described as a story of defiance, sacrifice, and the resilience of the human spirit. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 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
  • In several instances these rituals were utilized during slave rebellions; the New York slave rebellion of 1712 reportedly began with a pact sealed in blood and powder, a practice with African religious parallels.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Freedom matters to you more than keeping up with traditions, which is where your financial savviness comes into play, not to mention rebellion.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebellion
Noun
  • Historically, the ruling party in Nigeria's presidential elections usually has a higher chance of winning when the race features more than one prominent opposition candidate.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Construction began last year, despite opposition from Norco city leaders, which saw their appeal to the utilities commission denied.
    — Joy Benedict, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of opposition
Noun
  • The United States must therefore carefully balance the need to de-risk against the need to deter aggression.
    — GLORIA XIONG, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Game fowl are bred for aggression by definition, said Jenny Berg, California state director of the Humane World for Animals, which worked with Rogers on the bill.
    — Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 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
  • The outbreak has gained momentum since it was declared on May 15, as weak health infrastructure, community resistance and instability hinder the effort to identify and respond to cases.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • By way of thanks, the Swiss Football Association donated professional training equipment to the school, including Olympic lifting platforms, squat racks, medicine balls, resistance bands, agility hurdles and plyometric boxes.
    — Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of resistance
Noun
  • Video from the Virginia incident, which shows an agent with a gun, has reignited conversations about the aggressiveness of ICE enforcement.
    — Juan Benn Jr, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2026
  • She’s learned how to channel her competitiveness and aggressiveness in a much better way, a more productive way.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of aggressiveness
Noun
  • Whether writing five decades ago or today, the genre’s most insightful commentators have always observed how punk fuses rebelliousness with commodification, capitalism with resistance.
    — Kyle Devine, Longreads, 14 July 2026
  • Marji’s rebelliousness, both admirable and terrifying for those who love her, is her salient characteristic.
    — Hillary Chute, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
Definition of rebelliousness
Noun
  • Fortunately, Gorbachev would drop his objections to SDI in time for both men to sign a landmark treaty in 1987 that abolished all intermediate range nuclear arms in Europe and made the entire world safer.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
  • One man was quick enough to grab his ankle and let out a firm objection, but the foot slipped free from the boot and the houndsman was gone into the tight tunnel full of frantic dogs and furious bear.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of objection

Phrases Containing defiance

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defer (to)
defiance
defiances
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Cite this Entry

“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiance. Accessed 19 Aug. 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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