defiantly

adverb

de·​fi·​ant·​ly di-ˈfī-ənt-lē How to pronounce defiantly (audio)
dē-
: in a defiant manner : in a way that is full of or shows a disposition to challenge, resist, or fight
She spoke out defiantly against the proposed law.
As his empire crumbled amid the … scandal, he defiantly refused a graceful exit.Jonathan Alter
Though restrained, the women do not lack independence, and they wag their tongues as defiantly as ever.Jason Farago

Examples of defiantly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some say the resulting Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs, which included an image of a bloody Trump defiantly throwing his first in the air, won him the election. M. J. Corey, New Yorker, 24 May 2025 But for Varela and the other holdouts — roughly two dozen of whom stood defiantly on the side of West Flagler Street on Monday, protesting their potentially imminent removal under the punishing mid-morning sun — that deal was unworkable, both in time and money. Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 20 May 2025 Others wear it shamefully; others still, defiantly, Their protest choking, suffocating. Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025 Catapulted into overnight fame by their massively successful debut album, San Francisco indie rock band Counting Crows and their introspective frontman Adam Duritz were suddenly the biggest rockstars in the world, defiantly facing whatever came next. Katcy Stephan, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for defiantly

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defiantly was in 1847

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Cite this Entry

“Defiantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defiantly. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

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