as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
the defiant puppy refused to let go of the football
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of defiant
Chief Executive Officer Carlos Tavares has struck a defiant tone since a disastrous profit warning last month, pledging fixes in North America and replacing executives including his finance chief.
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Frank Connelly, Fortune Europe, 16 Oct. 2024
The Trump campaign had come back to Butler to stage its own retaliation, an over-the-top reminder that its candidate was defiant in the face of death, and possibly preordained for the Presidency.
—Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Despite the legal case, a defiant Musk posted the latest winner in his $1m giveaway on X this morning.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
By Monday, after a day of speculation about his starting job, Moss had taken on a more defiant tone.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for defiant 
Frank Connelly, Fortune Europe, 16 Oct. 2024
The Trump campaign had come back to Butler to stage its own retaliation, an over-the-top reminder that its candidate was defiant in the face of death, and possibly preordained for the Presidency.
—Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Despite the legal case, a defiant Musk posted the latest winner in his $1m giveaway on X this morning.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
By Monday, after a day of speculation about his starting job, Moss had taken on a more defiant tone.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for defiant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiant
Adjective
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The current state of his ’stache, more tweezed than Hughes’s rebellious bushy caterpillar, is owed to that role.Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
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Tired of the toxic culture within the group, Veronica teams up with her rebellious new boyfriend, J.D. (played by Christian Slater), and things quickly spiral out of control as their plot to take down the Heathers turns deadly.Jane LaCroix, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The rebel spark in my heart, though, wasn’t completely snuffed.Lili Anolik, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
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Over the past year, the conflict between rebel forces and government troops in Myanmar has brought new refugees to the settlements.Maria Isabel Barros Guinle, NPR, 1 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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This powerful, palm-sized tool hits the town on stubborn breakouts with a potent blend of blue (415 nm) and red (630 nm) light therapies.Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Nov. 2024
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Here are some thought on how to approach those difficult but necessary discussions with a stubborn parent who refuses to plan for the future.Carolyn Rosenblatt, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near defiant
Cite this Entry
“Defiant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiant. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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