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Synonyms

defiance

1 American  
[dih-fahy-uhns] / dɪˈfaɪ əns /

noun

  1. a daring or bold resistance to authority or to any opposing force.

  2. open disregard; contempt (often followed byof ).

    defiance of danger; His refusal amounted to defiance.

  3. a challenge to meet in combat or in a contest.

idioms

  1. bid defiance to, to offer resistance; defy.

  2. in defiance of, in spite of; notwithstanding.

    There was a splendid audience in defiance of the rainstorm.
Defiance 2 American  
[dih-fahy-uhns] / dɪˈfaɪ əns /

noun

  1. a city in NW Ohio.

defiance British  
/ dɪˈfaɪəns /

noun

  1. open or bold resistance to or disregard for authority, opposition, or power

  2. a challenging attitude or behaviour; challenge

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
defiance More Idioms  

  1. see in defiance of.

Other Word Forms

  • nondefiance noun
  • predefiance noun

Etymology

Origin of defiance

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French; equivalent to defy + -ance

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The dam, which is 30% complete, was meant to be an architectural centerpiece—bowing outward, in defiance of standard engineering in which dams arc inward.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

It was confusion, or maybe wishful thinking, or was it outright defiance?

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

The R&B pop singer had a tremendous year following her act of defiance: She sang the national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium, resulting in the making of a short-documentary, “La Tierra del Valor.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

Igor Tudor delivered a message of defiance amid Tottenham Hotspur's deepening crisis when he told his players before their visit to Liverpool: "You can stay and cry or you can fight".

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

His voice was thick with tears, but not yet stripped of defiance.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.