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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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 Battle of the Alamo was one of the most monumental conflicts of the Texas Revolution, a rebellion that ended in Texas becoming independent from Mexico and establishing itself as a republic for nearly a decade before US statehood.
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In the press release for the album, you were quoted using the word rebellion when talking about rock and roll.
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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Several Gulf countries have strongly denounced Iran's drone strikes Saturday on the island nation of Bahrain, while vowing to stand united against any possible aggression from Tehran in the future.
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And the specter of Russian military aggression has spurred much talk of pouring money into defense instead.
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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Meanwhile, existing antibiotics have been overused, and resistance has mounted to critical levels.
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Hussein’s killing cemented the schism between Sunni and Shiite Islam and remains a powerful symbol of resistance against oppression and injustice.
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 29 Jun. 2026.
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