Meaning & use
defiance
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Meanings
noununcountable
Open refusal to obey or submit to a person, rule, or power, shown through words or actions.
Grammar: Usually has no plural: an act of defiance, not several defiances.
Patterns
- defiance of something
- in defiance of something
- show defiance
The protesters stood their ground in defiance of the curfew.
Her silence was a quiet form of defiance.
The teenager looked at his father with open defiance.
noununcountableliteraryold-fashioned
A challenge or dare to someone to try to stop you, often expressed with strong, proud words.
Grammar: Often appears in the phrase 'bid defiance to' or 'set at defiance' in older or literary writing.
Patterns
- bid defiance to someone
The rebels sent a message of defiance to the king.
He shouted his defiance across the battlefield.
Common combinations
- in defiance of
- The factory stayed open in defiance of the safety order.
- act of defiance
- Refusing to stand was her small act of defiance.
- open defiance
- The crew's open defiance forced the captain to turn back.
- show defiance
- The child showed defiance by crossing her arms and shaking her head.
- a gesture of defiance
- He tore up the notice as a gesture of defiance.
Synonyms and how they differ
- disobedience
- Disobedience simply means not following an order, while defiance adds a bold, deliberate, challenging attitude.
- resistance
- Resistance is broader and can be quiet or organized, whereas defiance stresses a visible refusal to back down.
- insubordination
- Insubordination is formal and refers to refusing orders from a superior in a hierarchy such as the army or a workplace.
- rebellion
- Rebellion suggests a larger, often organized uprising, while defiance can be one person's single gesture.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: defiance or deference?
defiance vs deference
Deference is polite respect for someone's wishes or authority, which is almost the opposite of defiance.
Practice
The workers kept the strike going ____ the court order.
Choose one answer.
Continuing a strike against a court order shows open refusal to obey, so 'in defiance of' fits. 'In favor of' would mean supporting the order, which does not match.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “defiance”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.