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
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.
Energised by her act of defiance, Ridings spent a year in Los Angeles, writing her way out of despair.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
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
And an underdog who stayed in the contest in defiance of steep odds and, seemingly, common sense.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026
It was confusion, or maybe wishful thinking, or was it outright defiance?
From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026
Lupin was making Harry feel idiotic, and yet there was still a grain of defiance inside him.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
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.
