1
as in rebellion
refusal to obey
any defiance of the authoritarian regime would have dire consequences
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
a deeply troubled person who seemed the very soul of defiance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defiance
Every act of care, every heartbeat that continues, is an act of defiance.
—
NPR, 8 Nov. 2025
No adolescent defiance or child’s anguish was visible on his face now.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
Emotional and physical abuse follows, and Kim’s sunniness as a performer is reframed as defiance against trauma.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
The President’s message, circulated among his 11 million followers and beyond, stood in direct defiance of a court order from last week.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
NPR, 8 Nov. 2025
No adolescent defiance or child’s anguish was visible on his face now.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
Emotional and physical abuse follows, and Kim’s sunniness as a performer is reframed as defiance against trauma.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
The President’s message, circulated among his 11 million followers and beyond, stood in direct defiance of a court order from last week.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiance
Noun
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While details of Gatwa’s character are not yet known, Erivo’s Jayne is described as a trailblazing fairy whose defiant streak sparks a rebellion.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
8 Nov. 2025
-
From its beginning, the leaders of the rebellion well understood the global reach and resonance of their great struggle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Popular opposition focused on those projects both endangering their resources and enriching the very companies that fan the flames of heating.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
When widespread street protests erupted after that election, Maduro invited citizens to use VenApp to report opposition activities.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The flame-wielder is a tough match for Mecha Man, necessitating some extrajudicial aggression as Robert lops off two of his opponent’s fingers with a beam saber.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
-
What's more, the researchers were surprised to find no evidence of the spiders' usual cannibalistic aggression.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Either of these original conditions would compel us to curb our aspirations to self-making, self-saving, and self-liberation as harmful forms of willfulness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Oct. 2025
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While this change reduces the explicit admission of willfulness, a narrative is still required.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Podrabinek captures the painful intersections between personal and political in a dissident’s life, and the solidarity that kept the resistance moving forward.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Mike seems taken aback by Nina’s stony resistance.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Just nothing, not dictating at the point of attack, no aggressiveness to it at all.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness in the Gleason grading system, which ranges from 6 to 10, with 10 being the most aggressive.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
At times, Carol’s admirable rebelliousness seems to come at the cost of self-flagellating destruction, a badge of honor to be miserable.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The performance goes from fiery to ineffectual as DiCaprio’s character, Bob, loses his youthful rebelliousness in a haze of pot and resignation.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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While some senators expressed optimism about reaching a time agreement, any single objection could stall final passage.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
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The judge can sustain objections to questions if foundation hasn’t been laid by previous testimony.—
Sam Blum,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiance. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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