defiance

noun

de·​fi·​ance di-ˈfī-ən(t)s How to pronounce defiance (audio)
dē-
1
: the act or an instance of defying : challenge
jailed for defiance of a court order
2
: disposition to resist : willingness to contend or fight
dealing with a child's defiance
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

Examples 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 The act of defiance served as a spark ton what would become the Arab Spring, in which numerous heads of state were forced out in uprisings. Hannah Allam, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2024 The event was sparked in part by the Texas governor, Greg Abbott, and his aggressive defiance of the federal government. Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 8 Feb. 2024 The wave of arrests and raids in the occupied West Bank since Oct. 7 is one part of a broader mosaic of Israeli actions that Palestinians say have boosted both defiance against the occupation and support for armed resistance. Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Feb. 2024 Netanyahu, under pressure from right-wing members of his narrow governing majority to keep up the Gaza offensive, ordered his team out of Egypt in defiance of not only the demands of the hostage families but the growing international outrage over the soaring civilian death toll in Gaza. Heidi Levine, Washington Post, 18 Feb. 2024 Riding a bike in Los Angeles is an act of defiance — against car culture, against endless sprawl, against bike lanes that disappear without warning and against gaping potholes. Michael Charboneau, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 The island became famous in the early days of the war after its Ukrainian defenders sent an expletive-laden message of defiance as Russia took the island. Mark Cancian, Foreign Affairs, 8 Feb. 2024 In 18th-century Trinidad, enslaved Africans who were not allowed to participate in the pre-Lenten traditions of masquerade balls by European colonizers created their own celebrations of defiance. Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2024 Tom Sandoval is laughing off his Vanderpump Rules costar James Kennedy’s act of defiance. Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defiance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English diffiaunce, defyaunce, borrowed from Anglo-French defiance, difiaunce, from defier, desfier "to renounce, challenge, defy entry 1" + -ance, -aunce -ance

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of defiance was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near defiance

Cite this Entry

“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defiance. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

defiance

noun
de·​fi·​ance di-ˈfī-ən(t)s How to pronounce defiance (audio)
1
: the act or an instance of defying : challenge
2
: a tendency to resist : contempt of opposition

More from Merriam-Webster on defiance

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