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 Since then, mayoral defiance of the legal obligations to enforce the council’s budget has left the city financially short of that modest projection. — Joe Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 These tragic flashpoints were mythologized into persecution stories, recast by right-wing Christian leaders not as tragic consequences of radical defiance but as proof of an evil secular government at war with faith and freedom. — Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026 Despite the drumbeat of warnings and sporadic enforcement, there is widespread defiance of official regulations, especially among young Iranian women. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026 Watson is keen to keep championing that legacy of defiance in Sarajevo. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 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
  • We’ve been told that Juliette is a once-in-a-generation leader, capable of pushing a rebellion further than it’s ever gone before.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • So using a Mexican bean in a staple of Italian home cooking was surprising, almost like an act of rebellion.
    — Margy Rochlin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of rebellion
Noun
  • In May, a groundswell of opposition spearheaded by neighborhood leaders and advocates pushed the regional transportation board to kill the project.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Israel announces countermeasures Opponents including Britain's opposition Conservative Party warned the move could isolate Israel.
    — Lauren Frayer, NPR, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of opposition
Noun
  • Instead, that generation’s gesture seems to be stymied or to miss its target and end in bitterness—which is precisely what gives these artists’ work at its best a poignancy on the other side of its aggression and humor.
    — Barry Schwabsky, ARTnews.com, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Volatile, headstrong, and brimming with wild-eyed passive-aggression, the actor’s performance heightens the wall situation from a neighborly dispute to the stuff of a biblical trial.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 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
  • Aside from a matchup with Notre Dame in November, Miami won’t face a ton of resistance on its 2026 schedule (which will be a talking point on several levels over the next few months).
    — Dane Brugler, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • His persistent claims raised sovereignty concerns and caused resistance from Greenlandic and Danish leaders and heightened tensions among NATO allies.
    — Lorne Cook, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of resistance
Noun
  • Badosa’s front-foot aggressiveness and ability to rush Gauff’s forehand have brought her wins in their past two meetings.
    — Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The salaries match, Strus is an expiring contract while Niko has four years left and the 3-point shooting and the aggressiveness of Max are way better than Niko’s.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 24 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
  • Bessent's remarks came as Siluanov's first in-person appearance at the summit since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 drew objections from other European leaders.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The employee handles the objection, pricing question, scheduling conflict or judgment call.
    — Michael Fox, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 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 9 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on defiance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about defiance

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