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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defiant
Greg Vanney was in a defiant mood after the LA Galaxy’s 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Union on May 14.
—
Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Compared with his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, Lai has taken a stronger and more defiant stance in the face of growing Chinese threats to the island, as evident in his rhetoric and new policy measures.
—Bonny Lin, Foreign Affairs, 15 May 2025
The defiant message comes after weeks of intense news coverage and a Republican House committee investigation into Hope Florida and its nonprofit charity arm, the Hope Florida Foundation.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025
Post match, the 17-year-old was in a typically defiant mood.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiant
Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Compared with his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, Lai has taken a stronger and more defiant stance in the face of growing Chinese threats to the island, as evident in his rhetoric and new policy measures.
—Bonny Lin, Foreign Affairs, 15 May 2025
The defiant message comes after weeks of intense news coverage and a Republican House committee investigation into Hope Florida and its nonprofit charity arm, the Hope Florida Foundation.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025
Post match, the 17-year-old was in a typically defiant mood.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiant
Adjective
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These two regions are no longer promising New World upstarts or rebellious outposts of Bordeaux.—
Jessica Dupuy,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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Meanwhile, Paul finds himself in a work crisis that puts the lifestyle of Julie and their rebellious son Russ (Simon Webster) in jeopardy, leading Julie back to the dopey sweetness of Carey.—
Esther Zuckerman,
IndieWire,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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Then, the detainees were executed, dressed in rebel uniforms, and reported as combat kills with many buried in anonymous graves in cemeteries.—
John Otis,
NPR,
27 May 2025
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Here romantic passion combines with revolution in a historical fiction sure to light up readers’ rebel hearts.—
Lorraine Berry,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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United needed to play perfect football to unlock a stubborn defence, but struggled to push past competency.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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Still, the stubborn media silence continued unabated.—
Nate Rogers,
Vulture,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defiant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiant. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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