defiantly

adverb

de·​fi·​ant·​ly di-ˈfī-ənt-lē How to pronounce defiantly (audio)
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
Though restrained, the women do not lack independence, and they wag their tongues as defiantly as ever.Jason Farago

Examples of defiantly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The new record is almost defiantly curious, searching rather than authoritative. Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025 Fickell was asked about this report after the game on Saturday and defiantly denied it. Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025 One, in black and white, showed two women, standing defiantly, with their arms interlocked and their backs pressed against each other. New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025 The girls are wearing heeled white dance shoes that are defiantly impractical for the city streets, in striking contrast to the robust sneakers that everyone else has on. Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for defiantly

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defiantly was in 1847

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Defiantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defiantly. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!