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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

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 The funeral was also used to project defiance, with thousands of mourners filling Tehran and chanting for revenge. — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 6 July 2026 But demonstrating the defiance that would come to define his game, Djokovic saved six match points before coming back to win in five sets. — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 5 July 2026 The defiance is striking for a leader who has built a powerful online footprint. — Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 5 July 2026 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 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
  • And Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her ruling Liberal Democratic Party are among the sternest voices of opposition to such a change.
    — Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • Advertisement The biggest difference between another Netanyahu government and an opposition win lies in each side’s approach to a battered but newly emboldened government in Tehran.
    — Ian Bremmer, Time, 14 July 2026
Definition of opposition
Noun
  • Yet the franchise, for all its mayhem, didn’t run on belligerence, or at least channelled its aggression in a disarming way.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
  • Even after the sub-par performance against Paraguay – admittedly, the South Americans’ physicality and aggression contributed to that – the fans’ belief never wavered.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 10 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
  • Shimizu voluntarily stayed in Vietnam after World War II to join the Việt Minh resistance, opposing French colonial reoccupation, the photographer explained.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • Ashley Zehnder is the CEO of Fauna Bio, a company that searches for disease resistance therapies among mammals equipped with unique adaptations.
    — Ari Daniel, NPR, 13 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

Browse Nearby Words

defer (to)
defiance
defiances
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiance. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on defiance

Nglish: Translation of defiance for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about defiance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of obdurate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All