defiance
noun
de·fi·ance
di-ˈfī-ən(t)s 
dē-
Phrases
in defiance of
: contrary to : despite
seemingly in defiance of the laws of physics
He returned to the pulpit May 22 in defiance of an order by church leaders banning him from television preaching for one year.—
Daniel E. Kubiske
Daniel E. KubiskeExamples of defiance in a Sentence
any defiance of the authoritarian regime would have dire consequences
the troubled youth seems to have an ingrained defiance to authority of any sort
Recent Examples on the Web
Even though the Administration admitted to deporting Abrego Garcia by mistake, Trump is refusing to take any steps to bring him back, in open defiance of the Supreme Court and other federal court rulings.
—Kica Matos, Time, 2 May 2025
Barragan said he was shaped by his upbringing in the Kern County town of Delano, where his family was active in the United Farm Workers movement that staged marches, boycotts and strikes in defiance of powerful Central Valley growers in the 1960s and ‘70s.
—Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2025
When the judge ordered Shah to appear, the case was taken away from him, in defiance of the Supreme Court.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Bracketed by China and several Southeast Asian nations, parts of the vital South China Sea are claimed by multiple governments, but Beijing has asserted ownership over almost all of the waterway, in defiance of an international court ruling.
—Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
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.
Kica Matos, Time, 2 May 2025
Barragan said he was shaped by his upbringing in the Kern County town of Delano, where his family was active in the United Farm Workers movement that staged marches, boycotts and strikes in defiance of powerful Central Valley growers in the 1960s and ‘70s.
—Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2025
When the judge ordered Shah to appear, the case was taken away from him, in defiance of the Supreme Court.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Bracketed by China and several Southeast Asian nations, parts of the vital South China Sea are claimed by multiple governments, but Beijing has asserted ownership over almost all of the waterway, in defiance of an international court ruling.
—Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defiance
Cite this Entry
“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defiance. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
defiance
noun
de·fi·ance
di-ˈfī-ən(t)s
1
: the act or an instance of defying : challenge
2
: a tendency to resist : contempt of opposition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share