defiantly
adverb
de·fi·ant·ly
di-ˈfī-ənt-lē 
dē-
: in a defiant manner : in a way that is full of or shows a disposition to challenge, resist, or fight
She spoke out defiantly against the proposed law.
As his empire crumbled amid the … scandal, he defiantly refused a graceful exit.—
Jonathan Alter
Jonathan AlterThough restrained, the women do not lack independence, and they wag their tongues as defiantly as ever.—Jason Farago
Jason Farago
Examples of defiantly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Benzinga Volatility stormed back into the markets, shaking things up in a week where inflation defiantly outstripped estimates for the third straight month in March, leading investors to substantially slash their expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.
—Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024
But like many, 25-year-old Haj Amir defiantly hoisted one over his shoulder.
—Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 9 Apr. 2024
Amy Winehouse was defiantly public about refusing treatment.
—Tom Zoellner, SPIN, 9 Apr. 2024
And yet the album still manages to be defiantly Beyoncé.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 30 Mar. 2024
The album’s 11 songs are defiantly of the moment and a direct result of her return to L.A.
—Steve Appleford, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
In the meantime, Netanyahu has done plenty of talking himself -- defiantly rejecting Biden's demands and vowing to move ahead with the operation in a public address to members of his government, and even meeting virtually with Senate Republicans to discuss the state of the conflict in Gaza.
—Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2024
Under constant surveillance by Putin’s security services, Navalny survived a near-lethal poisoning by the nerve agent Novichok, yet defiantly returned to Russia instead of remaining in comfortable exile.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN, 17 Feb. 2024
In France, when anti-Semitic thugs tried to intimidate her and some Israeli friends on the Paris subway, Miranda defiantly spoke Hebrew extra loudly.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024
But like many, 25-year-old Haj Amir defiantly hoisted one over his shoulder.
—Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 9 Apr. 2024
Amy Winehouse was defiantly public about refusing treatment.
—Tom Zoellner, SPIN, 9 Apr. 2024
And yet the album still manages to be defiantly Beyoncé.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 30 Mar. 2024
The album’s 11 songs are defiantly of the moment and a direct result of her return to L.A.
—Steve Appleford, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
In the meantime, Netanyahu has done plenty of talking himself -- defiantly rejecting Biden's demands and vowing to move ahead with the operation in a public address to members of his government, and even meeting virtually with Senate Republicans to discuss the state of the conflict in Gaza.
—Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2024
Under constant surveillance by Putin’s security services, Navalny survived a near-lethal poisoning by the nerve agent Novichok, yet defiantly returned to Russia instead of remaining in comfortable exile.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN, 17 Feb. 2024
In France, when anti-Semitic thugs tried to intimidate her and some Israeli friends on the Paris subway, Miranda defiantly spoke Hebrew extra loudly.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defiantly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1847, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near defiantly
Cite this Entry
“Defiantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defiantly. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
More from Merriam-Webster on defiantly
Britannica English: Translation of defiantly for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share