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 Images of defiance were visible in Tehran’s Azadi Square, where weapons reinforced the propaganda. — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 30 July 2026 The emerald green lawns of cheaters now abut the crispy brown grass of the rule-followers — defiance that’s visible for all to see. — Annie Gowen, Washington Post, 29 July 2026 These words demonstrate the righteous defiance in her personality and aquatic life. — Samantha Adams, The Conversation, 29 July 2026 When Richard applauded one such culinary act of defiance, the man took the opportunity to shoot the king. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 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 April 2012, a coalition of Tuareg rebel groups under the Coordination of Azawad Movements declared independence and sparked a rebellion alongside Islamic militants.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • Many employers double down on rigid return-to-office rules, surveillance and gimmicks, even as workers fight back with coffee badging, ghost bookings and other quiet rebellions.
    — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of rebellion
Noun
  • His departure marks the loss of yet another prominent opposition voice willing to challenge the Kremlin from inside Russia, with most critics of President Vladimir Putin now either in jail or in exile.
    — Reuters, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • But the department has been running into opposition by landowners, environmental groups, Native American tribes and others who argue that the rapid construction endangers environmental and religious sites and a way of life along the border.
    — Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of opposition
Noun
  • Even absent Chinese aggression, people in Taiwan increasingly identify as Taiwanese and do not seem inclined to repeat Hong Kong’s experience of acquiescing to Chinese rule.
    — Eugene Gholz, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2026
  • On the night of the last game at the old stadium, a 3-2 victory against Manchester United on May 10, 2016, nobody — not the police, the local community, not the club — expected the outpouring of emotion and aggression.
    — Lee Clayton, New York Times, 4 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
  • Despite that resistance, the White House and certain congressional allies have continued exploring proposals that would block some state AI laws and reportedly discussed pairing preemption with other priorities.
    — Caleb Knapp, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Gloves combine heavy-duty heat resistance with a flexible, comfortable fit for grilling, smoking, cooking and handling hot equipment.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of resistance
Noun
  • If Yesavage can maintain that aggressiveness over the rest of the season, the Jays won’t have to worry about their funky righty.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 20 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
  • 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
  • Trump made the threat a day after the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote to advance Blanche’s nomination over objections from Sens.
    — Daniela Suarez, NBC news, 31 July 2026
  • This was a World Cup where fans, and at times players and teams, participated in spite of their objections to how things were being run, not because of them.
    — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 31 July 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 7 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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