defiant

American  

[dih-fahy-uhnt] / dɪˈfaɪ ənt /

adjective

1. characterized by defiance; boldly resistant or challenging.

   a defiant attitude.

   Synonyms:

   daring, insolent, rebellious, recalcitrant, refractory, contumacious, insubordinate

   Antonyms:

   obedient

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Other Word Forms

• defiantly adverb
• defiantness noun
• half-defiant adjective
• nondefiant adjective
• nondefiantness noun
• overdefiant adjective
• overdefiantness noun
• quasi-defiant adjective
• undefiant adjective

Etymology

Origin of defiant

First recorded in 1830–40; from French défiant, Old French, present participle of defier “to challenge, defy”; defy, -ant

Example Sentences

The resulting single is playful and defiant — the perfect combination for a song of the summer.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Resilient pillars of the U.S. economy, chief among them its defiant consumer base, propelled growth in the face of headwinds.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

His neighbour, Barhan Omar, the bank manager, strikes a more defiant note, warning of the risk of a new Palestinian uprising as pressure builds up.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

It pairs majestically with Weaving’s defiant chin and gleaming eyes.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

He, wheeling once above them, screamed the hawk’s scream of defiant rage, and then shot on across the low beaches of Osskil, out over the breakers of the sea.

From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin