defiance
noun
de·fi·ance
di-ˈfī-ən(t)s 
dē-
2
: disposition to resist : willingness to contend or fight
dealing with a child's defiance
see also in defiance of
Examples 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
The story can’t avoid its tragic ending, but Charlie’s Place emphasizes the hope born from Fitzgerald’s act of defiance.
—
Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Matilda's father lit the menorah to honor her short, joyful life, an act of mourning, and defiance that was felt from Australia to Israel to New York City.
—Mahsa Saeidi, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
The 2013 election also provided domestic legitimacy to the incoming Rouhani administration, which sought to preserve and protect the rights of Iranian people through dialogue rather than defiance.
—Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2025
A certain level of defiance Perhaps even more remarkable than that age number is that Moyer missed the preceding season while recovering from double surgery to repair his flexor pronator and his ulnar collateral ligament.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
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Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Matilda's father lit the menorah to honor her short, joyful life, an act of mourning, and defiance that was felt from Australia to Israel to New York City.
—Mahsa Saeidi, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
The 2013 election also provided domestic legitimacy to the incoming Rouhani administration, which sought to preserve and protect the rights of Iranian people through dialogue rather than defiance.
—Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2025
A certain level of defiance Perhaps even more remarkable than that age number is that Moyer missed the preceding season while recovering from double surgery to repair his flexor pronator and his ulnar collateral ligament.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 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 29 Dec. 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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