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
In keeping with the show’s defiance of mortality, Lee and Lifeson seemed to have almost aged in reverse since 2015, with Lifeson notably trimmer and musically nimble, and Lee pummeling his bass while skipping around the stage faster than any 72-year-old should be able to manage.
—
Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026
Tehran had threatened retaliation on Sunday after Israel struck Beirut's southern suburbs without warning in defiance of Washington's request days ago not to hit the Lebanese capital.
—Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 8 June 2026
After defeating Chwalinska in straight sets, Andreeva took time at the end of her acceptance speech to speak Russian, seemingly in defiance of the vilification due to her ethnic heritage by the tennis governing bodies and opposing players.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 June 2026
That came after Israel continued bombing Lebanon in defiance of Washington’s request days ago to stand down.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for defiance
Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026
Tehran had threatened retaliation on Sunday after Israel struck Beirut's southern suburbs without warning in defiance of Washington's request days ago not to hit the Lebanese capital.
—Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 8 June 2026
After defeating Chwalinska in straight sets, Andreeva took time at the end of her acceptance speech to speak Russian, seemingly in defiance of the vilification due to her ethnic heritage by the tennis governing bodies and opposing players.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 June 2026
That came after Israel continued bombing Lebanon in defiance of Washington’s request days ago to stand down.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for defiance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiance
Noun
-
View gallery - 5 images There's a rebellion underway against the always-on, infinitely-scrollable nature of the smartphone.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 June 2026
-
Within weeks, the new hypernationalist government mounted an effort to suppress the Russian language in the Donbas, provoking a rebellion among ethnically Russian Ukrainians.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
9 June 2026
Noun
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Sacramento Councilmember Karina Talamantes, whose district is directly adjacent to the project, has remained steadfast in her opposition to the development, urging the county to further delay the vote until a new supervisor is elected to replace Phil Serna, who is championing the project.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
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Lukwago is a former mayor of the Ugandan capital of Kampala and the president of the People's Front for Freedom opposition group.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
Noun
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That order has been faltering, flouted repeatedly by the powerful who have faced no consequences for aggression, leaving the world overall more dangerous for everyone else.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
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The analyst added that Starlink’s aggression could actually strengthen AST SpaceMobile.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
12 June 2026
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.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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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.—
Brad Shoup,
Pitchfork,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This longer, more persistent form of CAR-T cell therapy can help prevent tumors from developing resistance against them.—
Charles J. Dimitroff,
The Conversation,
12 June 2026
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Dems slow to embrace data center resistance McMillan Cottom suggested that no public officials on the right or the left have perfected their messaging to align with anti-data center sentiments.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Yet signs of pressing persist as the Padres steer solutions toward aggressiveness on the basepaths.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
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The aggressiveness was needed on a night Spurs head coach directed players to pick Brunson up full-court after San Antonio makes.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2026
Noun
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Marji’s rebelliousness, both admirable and terrifying for those who love her, is her salient characteristic.—
Hillary Chute,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2026
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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.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The most reasonable objection to this view is that resilience returns are too diffuse to underwrite, that avoided losses do not show up in a project’s revenue line the way tolls or tariffs do.—
Ravi S. Bhalla,
Fortune,
13 June 2026
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In reality, his rise happened despite the objections of many party insiders, not because of them.—
Matthew Shelter,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiance. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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