as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
the defiant puppy refused to let go of the football
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defiant
The Iranian regime, meanwhile, is striking a defiant tone.
—
Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Some tariffs, namely levies on steel and aluminum, will remain, and a defiant Trump on Friday announced 10% global tariffs through a different legal mechanism.
—Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Trump’s remarks vacillated between defiant and scathing.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
His videos have grown both defiant and erratic.
—Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defiant
Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Some tariffs, namely levies on steel and aluminum, will remain, and a defiant Trump on Friday announced 10% global tariffs through a different legal mechanism.
—Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Trump’s remarks vacillated between defiant and scathing.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
His videos have grown both defiant and erratic.
—Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defiant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiant
Adjective
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Theirs was a rebellious poetics of beauty, or a beautiful poetics of rebellion.—
Taran Dugal,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
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Yet his work is perhaps closer to the rebellious energy of Dutch painter Theo van Doesburg, for whom the diagonal line was synonymous with disruption.—
Elinore Weil,
Artforum,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This is, of course, exactly the logic that drove the CIA’s support for the Mujahideen Mujahedeen in Afghanistan and the arming of Syrian rebel factions – both of which produced consequences their architects failed to foresee.—
John Calabrese,
The Conversation,
7 Mar. 2026
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Colombia’s government has struggled to contain drug traffickers and rebel groups that are now fighting over territory abandoned by the nation’s largest guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, following its 2016 peace deal with the government.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Early connections should feel easier as affectionate Venus forms a supportive sextile with intense Pluto, encouraging us to handle stubborn issues with honest talks and practical teamwork.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
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Spend less time focusing on prep and cleaning and more time focusing on the food with our favorite kitchen tools, which can make poached eggs in minutes, reseal bags of ingredients, open stubborn jars, and more.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defiant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiant. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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