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View synonyms for

defiance

1

[dih-fahy-uhns]

noun

  1. a daring or bold resistance to authority or to any opposing force.

  2. open disregard; contempt (often followed byof ).

    defiance of danger; His refusal amounted to defiance.

  3. a challenge to meet in combat or in a contest.



Defiance

2

[dih-fahy-uhns]

noun

  1. a city in NW Ohio.

defiance

/ ɪˈڲɪəԲ /

noun

  1. open or bold resistance to or disregard for authority, opposition, or power

  2. a challenging attitude or behaviour; challenge

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • nondefiance noun
  • predefiance noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of defiance1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French; equivalent to defy + -ance
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. bid defiance to, to offer resistance; defy.

  2. in defiance of, in spite of; notwithstanding.

    There was a splendid audience in defiance of the rainstorm.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

High school graduation in this Latino enclave was all-American in spirit, but embodied defiance toward federal officials trying to deport unauthorized immigrants.

From

Bibi has relentlessly pursued his vision of the Middle East’s future, in defiance of nearly unanimous opposition from the rest of the non-American world, and is closer than ever to realizing it.

From

For a more traditional American administration, such open defiance would be a significant affront.

From

Artists who complained too much about any of this, or who were suspected of defiance, soon faced worse fates.

From

"Even joy can be an act of defiance," she said.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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DeFidefiant