1
as in rebellion
refusal to obey
any defiance of the authoritarian regime would have dire consequences
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opposition
the inclination to resist
the troubled youth seems to have an ingrained defiance to authority of any sort
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
a deeply troubled person who seemed the very soul of defiance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defiance
On July 1, 1997, the day of Hong Kong’s handover to China, one of the founders of the Democratic Party, Martin Lee, famously stood on the balcony of the Legislative Council building in a symbolic act of defiance.
—
Reuters, NBC News, 21 Feb. 2025
Otis' exaggerated tantrum has resonated with viewers online, who flooded the comments with laughter and praise for the dog's defiance.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025
The lawsuit mentions Musk’s feud with Moraes, when the justice suspended X in Brazil for Musk’s defiance of requests to ban some user accounts and remove content that Moraes said violated the country’s laws.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 19 Feb. 2025
Last December, Willis was arrested at the Capitol for staging a bathroom sit-in in defiance of a proposal to ban trans women from women’s restrooms on federal property.
—Erin McMullen, TIME, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
Reuters, NBC News, 21 Feb. 2025
Otis' exaggerated tantrum has resonated with viewers online, who flooded the comments with laughter and praise for the dog's defiance.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025
The lawsuit mentions Musk’s feud with Moraes, when the justice suspended X in Brazil for Musk’s defiance of requests to ban some user accounts and remove content that Moraes said violated the country’s laws.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 19 Feb. 2025
Last December, Willis was arrested at the Capitol for staging a bathroom sit-in in defiance of a proposal to ban trans women from women’s restrooms on federal property.
—Erin McMullen, TIME, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiance
Noun
-
Or just a brilliant disguise?’ - from Brilliant Disguise Rock 'n' roll has always embodied rebellion and dissent.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Set in the Alentejo region of southern Portugal, where Mateus was raised, a peasant community of grape-pickers become agents in an open-air ritual of remembrance and rebellion.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Forecasting Trump's opposition to the IRA, 18 House Republicans preemptively issued a letter in August to Speaker Mike Johnson not to repeal the clean energy tax credits.—
Newsweek,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
-
Interestingly, there were resignations that included 21 DOGE staffers who cited opposition to the program.—
Jack Kelly,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The drills around Taiwan are only the latest example of Chinese aggression this month.—
Anders Hagstrom,
Fox News,
26 Feb. 2025
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The paper said that the text did not contain clear security guarantees for Ukraine against Russian aggression, which have been priorities for Kyiv in a deal to end the war started by Putin.—
John Feng,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The steam engine, the internet, mobile computing—all initially sparked uncertainty and resistance.—
Margie Warrell,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
-
The announcement of the layoffs was met with resistance from students across the state.—
Andy Rose and Maria Aguilar Prieto,
CNN,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Multiple speakers were also allowed to accuse Israel of carrying out a genocide, also with no objection from Lauber.—
Rachel Wolf,
Fox News,
27 Feb. 2025
-
His nomination to become the nation’s 26th Health and Human Services Secretary was met with considerable objection from the medical community.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The Russian foreign policy establishment always speculated that Europe would be most likely to eventually seek rapprochement with Moscow, while U.S. hostility to Russia was thought to be hard-wired.—
Fred Weir,
The Christian Science Monitor,
5 Mar. 2025
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Constantine says that talking about solar’s benefits—whether that’s through creating jobs, reducing blackouts, or pushing electricity prices down—is the key to overcoming hostility.—
Kate Yoder,
WIRED,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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With that context, Zubac is a poster child for keeping the apology as loud as the disrespect.—
Shane Young,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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No disrespect to Sir Paul McCartney, but Dwayne Carter Jr. (a.k.a. Lil Wayne) clearly had the superior musical medley of the night.—
Andy Hoglund,
EW.com,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Pardons have sometimes been used in the past — in some cases wisely, in others not — to turn the page on divisive episodes of civil disorder and disobedience.—
The Editors,
National Review,
22 Jan. 2025
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That kind of aspirational-prediction dynamic is informing Trump’s disobedience of congressional statutes that limit his control over the executive branch.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
The New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiance. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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