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.
It was confusion, or maybe wishful thinking, or was it outright defiance?
From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026
Iran has responded with defiance, saying it would have "zero restraint" if its energy infrastructure was hit again.
From Barron's • Mar. 19, 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
Senior Iranian political figures, while hunted from the air and limiting their appearances in public, are regularly posting messages that reflect recent developments and project unity and defiance.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026
The children watched in growing despair as the brave child grew weaker and weaker, her voice softer and softer, until at last her cries of defiance were scarcely more than mumbles.
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
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.
