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
Now low-income Kansas families won’t be able to put food on the table because of her political defiance.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
All knew one slip could render the previous effort and inspired defiance redundant.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2025
Viewers in Kyiv had a choice of two venues, Zhovten and Kino 42, in which to see the film, thus demonstrating that the Chaplinesque spirit of defiance is alive and kicking.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Shared defiance of Moscow thus spurred the two leaders into a rapprochement at a moment when Russian capacity in the Caucasus is checked by the war in Ukraine.
—Thomas De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
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MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
All knew one slip could render the previous effort and inspired defiance redundant.
—Michael Walker, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2025
Viewers in Kyiv had a choice of two venues, Zhovten and Kino 42, in which to see the film, thus demonstrating that the Chaplinesque spirit of defiance is alive and kicking.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Shared defiance of Moscow thus spurred the two leaders into a rapprochement at a moment when Russian capacity in the Caucasus is checked by the war in Ukraine.
—Thomas De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 22 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 24 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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