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 The film, featuring the music of Masekela, Makeba, and Simon, is described as a story of defiance, sacrifice, and the resilience of the human spirit. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 July 2026 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 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
  • The mythmaking rebellion of Tekena, first of her name, for the sake of a coward’s love was as recognizable to her descendants as their need to cross borders, both ethnic and geographic, in search of a happiness that wasn’t promised.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The rebellion has been absorbed by the very system it was built to replace.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebellion
Noun
  • Villa’s recent warm-up defeat to Bayern Munich, though a 2-1 loss, will have offered a useful gauge of what facing elite opposition demands and should stand them in good stead for the level of intensity this game in Salzburg will require.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • While Sacramento city and county officials have voiced opposition, state law limits the ability of local governments to block certain re-entry programs operated as residential homes for up to six people.
    — Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of opposition
Noun
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a strategic partnership agreement in 2024 that pledged mutual aid if either country faced aggression.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • End the war and aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq forever.
    — Tiago Ventura, Time, 10 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
  • The streaming giant is in the fourth year of its exploration of ads, an initiative that reversed more than a decade of resistance to the idea.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Muscles strengthen through resistance, and bones can become denser through strength training.
    — Simone Lundquist, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of resistance
Noun
  • She’s learned how to channel her competitiveness and aggressiveness in a much better way, a more productive way.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026
  • 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
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
  • More to Explore Mindful of the cultural importance of orthodox Islam, Singaporean practitioners respond to religious authorities’ objections in various ways.
    — H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In February, Trump appointee Vinay Prasad—a Kennedy ally—refused to even review the vaccine, despite objections from FDA staff and career officials, shocking Moderna and the larger biomedical community.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 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 13 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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