Definitions

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.

These are the largest 15 holdings of the Defiance Connective Technologies ETF:

From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026

“There are periods of time where the Mag Seven has taken a back seat, and this year is one of them,” says Sylvia Jablonski, chief investment officer of Defiance ETFs.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

The following excerpt is adapted from Chapter 3 of Tyler’s memoir, Stitching Freedom: A True Story of Injustice, Defiance, and Hope, published by One Signal Publishers and set for release on Tuesday.

From Slate • Oct. 6, 2025

Defiance Daily Target 2X Long RGTI, which aims to double the daily return of quantum-computer firm Rigetti Computing, is up roughly 1,000%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

But Rumpff refused to recuse himself and instead offered the assurance that his judgment in the Defiance case would have no influence on him in this one.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Vocabulary lists containing defiance

100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

The Outsiders

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Walk Two Moons

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!