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
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian struck a defiant tone as negotiations proceeded Sunday.
—
Anniek Bao, CNBC, 11 May 2026
But an increasingly defiant Daisy has another idea.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 May 2026
While Google has struck a defiant tone, internal backlash appears to be mounting, with several employees criticizing the deal publicly.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 4 May 2026
Machine washable, stain-defiant, and made from recycled materials.
—Amanda Eyre Ward, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for defiant
Anniek Bao, CNBC, 11 May 2026
But an increasingly defiant Daisy has another idea.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 May 2026
While Google has struck a defiant tone, internal backlash appears to be mounting, with several employees criticizing the deal publicly.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 4 May 2026
Machine washable, stain-defiant, and made from recycled materials.
—Amanda Eyre Ward, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for defiant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiant
Adjective
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That would be a massive threat to the hegemony established by the film, especially for people at their most curious, rebellious age.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
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And what could be more rebellious than sending a roomful of serious cinephiles screaming for the exits?—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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When Aleppo fell in late November, in part due to that tunnel operation that cut off the regime's supply lines, the rebel groups made a split-second decision to continue the offensive.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
17 May 2026
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Fuel and fertilizer needed for the rice crop are just the latest necessities to become unaffordable in Rakhine state, which has been devastated by intense fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA), one of the many rebel groups in the country.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images Are Americans finally starting to feel the strain of soaring gas prices and stubborn inflation?—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
19 May 2026
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Treasury yields have gone up in recent months as stubborn inflation reduces the likelihood of Fed rate cuts, Pisula notes, while geopolitical tensions add more long-term risk to rates.—
Tim Maxwell,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defiant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiant. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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