defiance

[dih-fahy-uhns] / dɪˈfaɪ əns /

NOUN

disobedience, disregard

Synonyms

STRONGEST

confrontation contempt opposition provocation rebellion spite

STRONG

affront audacity boldness bravado brazenness call cartel challenge command contrariness contumacy dare effrontery gas guts impudence insolence insubordination insurgence insurgency intractableness lip muster order perversity rebelliousness recalcitrance revolt sass stump summons temerity unruliness

WEAK

back talk big talk defy enjoinder factiousness hot air impugnment throwing of the gauntlet

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm harmony love peace

STRONG

answer care caution cowardice fear humility modesty timidity

WEAK

acquiescence obedience regard respect submission subordination

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.

If, at times, the narrative structure sags and the character portraits blur, it’s in service to the immensity of hope and defiance extinguished by the airstrike.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

"That was about respecting your place in society, but in the revolutionary 1640s and 1650s, hat-honor became a real gesture of defiance in the political sphere."

From Science Daily • May 7, 2026

Media critics were taken with the quasi-feminist defiance Kelly could exude, even when she was simply defending the circumstances of her own working-mom life.

From Slate • May 6, 2026

This stubborn defiance is also present in Chambers’ commitment to the “golden age” of decorative art.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

To match his frailty and strength, he has a spirit easy to despair and quick to defiance: a fierce impatient courage.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

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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