defiance
noun
a daring or bold resistance to authority or to any opposing force.
defiance
1 American
[dih-fahy-uhns]
/ dɪˈfaɪ əns /
noun
-
a daring or bold resistance to authority or to any opposing force.
-
open disregard; contempt (often followed byof ).
defiance of danger; His refusal amounted to defiance.
-
a challenge to meet in combat or in a contest.
idioms
-
bid defiance to, to offer resistance; defy.
-
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
defiance
British
/ dɪˈfaɪəns /
noun
-
open or bold resistance to or disregard for authority, opposition, or power
-
a challenging attitude or behaviour; challenge
defiance
More Idioms
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of defiance
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French; equivalent to defy + -ance
Explanation
Stand up when the powers that be order you to sit down, and you've given a fine example of defiance. It happens when someone or a group of someones openly flouts or challenges authority. Refusing to go to bed when your parents tell you to? That's an act of defiance. Defiance comes from French — specifically to the Old French word defier, which means "to defy." (Don't mix it up with deify; that means to make someone or something into a god.) If you've ever studied Latin, you'll spot the fi in fidare, "to trust."
Vocabulary lists containing defiance
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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The Outsiders
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Walk Two Moons
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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.
These are the largest 15 holdings of the Defiance Connective Technologies ETF:
From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026
“There are periods of time where the Mag Seven has taken a back seat, and this year is one of them,” says Sylvia Jablonski, chief investment officer of Defiance ETFs.
From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026
The following excerpt is adapted from Chapter 3 of Tyler’s memoir, Stitching Freedom: A True Story of Injustice, Defiance, and Hope, published by One Signal Publishers and set for release on Tuesday.
From Slate • Oct. 6, 2025
Defiance Daily Target 2X Long RGTI, which aims to double the daily return of quantum-computer firm Rigetti Computing, is up roughly 1,000%.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025
About ten thousand people were in attendance, and I told the crowd that the Defiance Campaign would be the most powerful action ever undertaken by the oppressed masses in South Africa.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
