defiance
1 Americannoun
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a daring or bold resistance to authority or to any opposing force.
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open disregard; contempt (often followed byof ).
defiance of danger; His refusal amounted to defiance.
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a challenge to meet in combat or in a contest.
idioms
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bid defiance to, to offer resistance; defy.
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in defiance of, in spite of; notwithstanding.
There was a splendid audience in defiance of the rainstorm.
noun
noun
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open or bold resistance to or disregard for authority, opposition, or power
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a challenging attitude or behaviour; challenge
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
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.
Instead of taking a stance of trollish defiance, they condemned the president.
From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026
North of the pavement, the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness holds a quieter terrain, where sunflower, ephedra and honey mesquite anchor the sand in subtle defiance of the wind.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
He doesn’t respond to his various wake-up calls with stubborn defiance but a curiosity that shifts his moping into something akin to a geeky, fun-loving second adolescence.
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026
Energised by her act of defiance, Ridings spent a year in Los Angeles, writing her way out of despair.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
She doesn’t budge, though, and crosses her arms in defiance, refusing to leave.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
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.
