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 After four years of war, life in Lukianivka, the most frequently hit part of the Ukrainian capital, is a mix of adaptability and endurance, defiance and denial, resignation and resilience. — Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 3 July 2026 In an act of defiance, Lam gave an explosive account of his experience in 2016 that contradicted official Chinese accounts of what happened to the five booksellers. — ABC News, 2 July 2026 His clippings included reporting on Black students facing higher rates of suspension for willful defiance and a cover story on Oak Park residents who offered a history of the neighborhood. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 27 June 2026 Yet, in open defiance of the ban, last year’s Pride went on as planned and was the biggest in Hungary’s history, with organizers estimating attendance at more than 350,000. — Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 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
  • Mali has previously faced insurgencies by militants affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, as well as a separatist rebellion in the country’s north.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
  • Shakespeare’s description now appears more significant and also helps explain why the Bard’s production of Richard II in February 1601 coincided with the start of the Earl of Essex’s rebellion.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of rebellion
Noun
  • His opposition to the measure in California could still leave him vulnerable to criticism from progressives in a national Democratic primary.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • The group consumed a majority of the oxygen within tech, with shares of the hyperscalers that pay for all the hardware struggling in opposition.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 7 July 2026
Definition of opposition
Noun
  • Hello to a new era The relationship was characterized by passive aggression, cryptic tweets and small slights that added up to a big, if not inevitable, breakup.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Ukraine and its neighbors are increasingly skeptical that the US will come to their aid in the face of Russian aggression, and are taking precautions accordingly.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 6 July 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
  • With more than 2,000 excess deaths recorded over six days at the peak of the June heat, according to health authorities, France’s cultural resistance to AC has started to soften.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • Why photonics matters Unlike electrical signals, which encounter increasing resistance and power losses as data rates climb, optical communication can transmit enormous amounts of information with significantly lower energy consumption.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026
Definition of resistance
Noun
  • No matter how much confidence and aggressiveness Zverev is playing with, the final is still Sinner’s to lose.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 12 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
  • Marji’s rebelliousness, both admirable and terrifying for those who love her, is her salient characteristic.
    — Hillary Chute, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026
Definition of rebelliousness
Noun
  • At the time, the Department of Justice argued that the president could sidestep the Insurrection Act to send armed troops into American streets over the objection of local leaders.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • When a videographer understands the audience’s doubts, objections or knowledge gaps, the script, visuals and tone become more intentional.
    — Tavares Beverly, Forbes.com, 10 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 14 Jul. 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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