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
Man Utd fans explain their song of defiance United fans have turned to Bonnie Tyler in a season of heartache
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal
Mikel Arteta has been reluctant to discuss his own musical tastes publicly.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
The students and faculty who are protesting in peaceful defiance of these senseless and often cruel actions should be commended for their conviction.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 18 Apr. 2025
Coffee with a side of defiance Some Mexican cafés are changing the name of the Americano.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025
He must not be allowed to rot in an El Salvadorian jail based on lies and defiance of our Constitution.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
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 Athletic Staff, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
The students and faculty who are protesting in peaceful defiance of these senseless and often cruel actions should be commended for their conviction.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 18 Apr. 2025
Coffee with a side of defiance Some Mexican cafés are changing the name of the Americano.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025
He must not be allowed to rot in an El Salvadorian jail based on lies and defiance of our Constitution.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 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 Apr. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share