defiance
noun
de·fi·ance
di-ˈfī-ən(t)s 
dē-
Phrases
in defiance of
: contrary to : despite
seemingly in defiance of the laws of physics
He returned to the pulpit May 22 in defiance of an order by church leaders banning him from television preaching for one year.—
Daniel E. Kubiske
Daniel E. KubiskeExamples of defiance in a Sentence
any defiance of the authoritarian regime would have dire consequences
the troubled youth seems to have an ingrained defiance to authority of any sort
Recent Examples on the Web
Others including, longtime Sacramento resident Richard Alcala, viewed the festivities as an act of defiance against the current presidential administration.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2025
In Schorr’s photograph, the duo, played by Julia Garner and Cole Escola, is more ambiguous, more gender-flouting, projecting an air of affectionate defiance.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
She was viciously beaten after having been detained by an officer who accused her of not dressing appropriately in public, in defiance of the country’s hijab rule, which broadly governs what women should wear.
—Fatemeh Jamalpour, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
The defiance of Olivia Munn Bustle Won't someone think of the men?
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
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Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2025
In Schorr’s photograph, the duo, played by Julia Garner and Cole Escola, is more ambiguous, more gender-flouting, projecting an air of affectionate defiance.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
She was viciously beaten after having been detained by an officer who accused her of not dressing appropriately in public, in defiance of the country’s hijab rule, which broadly governs what women should wear.
—Fatemeh Jamalpour, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
The defiance of Olivia Munn Bustle Won't someone think of the men?
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
Cite this Entry
“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defiance. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
defiance
noun
de·fi·ance
di-ˈfī-ən(t)s
1
: the act or an instance of defying : challenge
2
: a tendency to resist : contempt of opposition
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