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

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

In a matter of days, Ed Sheeran has gone from the most agreeable, defiantly middle-of-the-road singer-songwriter on the pop charts to music’s newest villain. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Yet all paid hefty prices for defiantly speaking out for the rights of Black Americans. — Mike Jones, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Isaac Mizrahi’s Unzipped, made largely on the fly, was spontaneous, hysterically funny and almost defiantly unstructured. — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026

In their place stands One World Trade Center, a gleaming glass tower that rises defiantly above a skyline that has been forever changed. — Thomas E. Franklin, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above