Meaning of defiance in English

defiance

noun [ U ]

/dɪˈfaɪ.əns/ us

/dɪˈfaɪ.əns/

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behaviour in which you refuse to obey someone or something:

act of defiance The demonstration is a pointless act of defiance against the government.

in defiance of In defiance of the ceasefire, rebel troops are again firing on the capital.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Opposing & against

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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Disobedient

(Definition of defiance from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

defiance | American Dictionary

defiance

noun [ U ]

/dɪˈfɑɪ·əns/

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proud and determined opposition against authority or against someone more powerful than you are:

They are continuing to publish their newspaper, in defiance of government attempts to close it down.

(Definition of defiance from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of defiance

defiance

The strong defiance incentives probably weakened somewhat from the mid 1980s, when the state grants became more generous.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

By the mid to late 1980s, defiance had reached a point where the government had clearly lost control.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

To insure originality he set the rules of composition (which he never violated in his vocal productions) at defiance.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The policies of this sovereign nation, as well as its cultural symbols, reflect a pragmatism tinged with a defiance of established political and economic conventions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Dignified defiance is mostly fueled by dignity as a virtue, a strong sense of self-worth, courage, wisdom, temperance, and justice.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

It had more impact than sophisticated jazz, because more easily assimilated, and was a more widespread outlet for boisterous youth with its defiance of conventions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

This resistance against efforts at government repression became both a symbolic and structural defiance against the system.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

For physical or psychological maltreatment, "misbehavior" or "defiance" was most often cited.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The resignation was not, however, an act of defiance.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

In the event of defiance, do they offer a constructive alternative, perhaps based on a different normative perspective, or new clinical trial data?

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Passive resistance intermixed with active defiance in the rear inevitably and profoundly affected conditions at the front.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

They gradually untwine as the music marshals itself for a final dance of defiance.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The unfriendly faces, illuminated by the glow of the fire, communicate their unified defiance through the faintest of smiles.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

However, in an open defiance of the life president's advice, the majority voted for the multiparty cause in the 1993 referendum.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Yet this time, in defiance of the cyclical pattern, we find the cause breaking through to precarious but permanent institutional form.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

What is the pronunciation of defiance?

Translations of defiance

in Chinese (Traditional)

對抗, 對立, 違抗…

Meaning of defiance in English

defiance | American Dictionary

Examples of defiance

Translations of defiance

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