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
In a defiant tone, the president showcased three prototypes, saying the country had the right to build them while claiming that they were not armed.
—
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
The moment feels defiant, a refusal to be flattened by trauma or defined by violence.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
Cook had been defiant about continuing onward at the Fed.
—Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the board of the Fed — one of the world’s most important independent central banks — challenged her firing in a defiant statement.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiant
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
The moment feels defiant, a refusal to be flattened by trauma or defined by violence.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
Cook had been defiant about continuing onward at the Fed.
—Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the board of the Fed — one of the world’s most important independent central banks — challenged her firing in a defiant statement.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiant
Adjective
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Written by Kaitlin Reilly and Dorian Keyes, the film follows a rebellious bad boy and a type-A overachiever who join forces to win the student body presidency – and maybe each other’s hearts along the way.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
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In business, as in life, there are times when conformity is an asset, but in others, embracing your individuality, inhabiting your rebellious spirit and being a true trailblazer are what lead to success.—
Paul Fitzgerald,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The rebel run is the biggest of them all.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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Humanitarian organizations estimate over 13 million people have been displaced by the fighting between the government’s military forces and the rebel RSF fighters, with famine and disease a by-product of the struggle for power.—
Rory Fleming,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Of all the bad-hair-day culprits, matted hair can be the most stubborn and frustrating.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
5 Sep. 2025
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Spills can be blotted (never rubbed) with a dry cloth since the fabric is non-absorptive, and for more stubborn stains, dry cleaning is recommended.—
Zoë Sessums,
Architectural Digest,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defiant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiant. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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