1
as in rebellion
refusal to obey
any defiance of the authoritarian regime would have dire consequences
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opposition
the inclination to resist
the troubled youth seems to have an ingrained defiance to authority of any sort
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
a deeply troubled person who seemed the very soul of defiance
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of defiance
As chaos unfolded at the National Assembly, where parliamentarians rushed to overturn the emergency measure, one striking interaction captured the spirit of defiance.
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Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
The latest: Monday night, Maurer accused Griffin of doing the same this year — in defiance of both his public stance and the body's unanimous support for Issue 1, which unsuccessfully sought to take mapmaking out of the hands of politicians at the state level.
—Sam Allard, Axios, 26 Nov. 2024
In 2018, Rwanda raised tariffs on such imports in defiance of U.S. pressure, citing concerns the West’s refuse undermined efforts to strengthen the domestic textile industry.
—Francis Kokutse, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
The breach culminated in a public display of defiance during a live broadcast of Tate’s Emergency Meeting episode on the video platform Rumble.
—Lars Daniel, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for defiance 
Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
The latest: Monday night, Maurer accused Griffin of doing the same this year — in defiance of both his public stance and the body's unanimous support for Issue 1, which unsuccessfully sought to take mapmaking out of the hands of politicians at the state level.
—Sam Allard, Axios, 26 Nov. 2024
In 2018, Rwanda raised tariffs on such imports in defiance of U.S. pressure, citing concerns the West’s refuse undermined efforts to strengthen the domestic textile industry.
—Francis Kokutse, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
The breach culminated in a public display of defiance during a live broadcast of Tate’s Emergency Meeting episode on the video platform Rumble.
—Lars Daniel, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for defiance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiance
Noun
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In 1994: Russian tanks and troops invaded its largely Muslim territory Chechnya to try to quash the secessionist rebellion after a three-year push for independence that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union.Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 11 Dec. 2024
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Kim was arrested by prosecutors early Wednesday on allegations of playing a key role in a rebellion and committing abuse of power.Kim Tong-Hyung and Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Trump and his newest top lieutenant, Elon Musk, upended the bipartisan agreement on Wednesday designed to keep the government running into next year largely by mounting an opposition campaign on X, Musk's social media platform.Susan Davis, NPR, 19 Dec. 2024
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House Republicans released a new short-term spending bill to extend government funding into next year, revising the bipartisan spending package that was scrapped earlier this week due to GOP opposition.Cami Mondeaux, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Speaking alongside Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Putin highlighted the part of the pact that allows the potential use of Russian nuclear warheads deployed to Belarus in response to an aggression.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
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But for some, their disability can lead to frustration and, in turn, aggression.Camille Phillips, NPR, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Rebels used that vacuum to advance in Syria, and their calculation paid off; an offensive that might have led to another months-long eruption in hostilities instead took days, ending with a march into the capital that was met with little resistance.Rob Picheta, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024
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Both are symbols of resistance, challenging authority and the societal norms that aim to diminish them.Anita Kopacz, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Over the objections of the defense, which is seeking a mistrial, the judge agreed to grant the DA's motion, CNN reports.Ben Brachfeld, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024
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Over defense objections, Judge Maxwell Wiley agreed with prosecutors, who argued that dismissing the first count of second-degree manslaughter eliminates the defense’s concern about a compromise verdict.Gloria Pazmino, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In January, the World Bank and Ipsos, a market research firm, estimated that nearly 60% of Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure had been damaged or destroyed by hostilities.Sophie Tanno, CNN, 19 Dec. 2024
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Soon afterward, the U.S. said the system would not be deployed to Ukraine, with deputy Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh telling reporters that the war between Russia and Ukraine differed to hostilities in the Middle East.Michael D. Carroll AND Brendan Cole, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The praise is rarely as loud as the disrespect when Ange gets it right.Ahmed Walid, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
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Basically that poor enforcement had bred serious disrespect for the law, or at least a misunderstanding of it.Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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On the other, her disobedience results from her gullibility and erroneous reason.Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024
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Alas, the revelation that Yuki was the mole who smuggled the disobedience code out of ImaTech and onto the black market was for real.Chris Klimek, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near defiance
Cite this Entry
“Defiance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiance. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
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