How to Use defiance in a Sentence

defiance

noun
Definition of defiancenext
Synonyms for defiancenext
  • There is a sense of defiance among many in the Jewish community here – not to give up and let fear win.
    — Colette Davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Oct. 2024
  • Weakness in the property market has also led to public displays of defiance.
    — New York Times, 14 July 2022
  • At one point, his gaze alights on a strange, specific sight: a single shoe, balanced on its heel, pointing straight up in seeming defiance of gravity.
    — David Sims, The Atlantic, 20 July 2022
  • Subpoena defiance and the insurrection are birds of a feather.
    — Norman Eisen and Dennis Aftergut, CNN, 22 July 2022
  • In Mykhailychenko’s shop, a small example of Ukrainian defiance can be seen in a glass souvenir case.
    — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 16 July 2022
  • The speakers thumped, the air alert app was silent; the blue and yellow flag fluttered above; the young Ukrainians in black held fast to each other, dancing in slow defiance.
    — New York Times, 15 July 2022
  • Throughout the show, instances of steely discipline ennoble dramas of suffering and defiance.
    — Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 18 July 2022
  • These books examined belonging in a postcolonial world and creativity in defiance of manmade borders.
    — Mariah Tauger, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2022
  • In the midst of the ongoing war with Russia, 75 of Ukraine’s noted musicians have come together to bring a message of defiance and hope.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 July 2022
  • But committing oneself to pleasure as fully as Beyoncé has here takes defiance and guts—and, more deeply, faith in the preciousness of one’s own experience.
    — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 29 July 2022
  • Julija has long bitten her tongue in response, and Filipović’s intelligent, watchful performance is a study in quiet defiance giving way, at last, to something more.
    — Justin Changfilm Critic, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2022
  • At that, James stormed out of the house and peed on his bushes in defiance.
    — Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 7 Feb. 2024
  • In defiance of such protests, the Eiffel Tower did see the light of day and has stood the test of time.
    — Melissa Locker, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2023
  • At the close of the piece, the Jews rise up in defiance, singing in unison the Hebrew prayer Shema Yisrael.
    — John Adams, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2023
  • By Tuesday, the protests were racing across the country, in a burst of grief, anger and defiance.
    — Kareem Fahim, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2022
  • One of the plaintiffs who spoke with CNN asked to share her message as an act of defiance.
    — Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, 14 June 2024
  • Snow perceived the stunt with the force field as an act of defiance that made the Capitol look foolish.
    — Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 6 June 2024
  • But any sign of defiance had vanished by the time of his arraignment and not-guilty plea.
    — Nicole Hemmer, CNN, 4 Apr. 2023
  • The Crown gives the Queen a bolder color palette and a look of defiance for one final send off.
    — Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 16 June 2024
  • And the on-the-nose name Ferrari chose for its newest GT speaks to its pride and defiance of industry trends.
    — Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 2 May 2024
  • Opinion: This Easter, hope is an act of will and a gesture of defiance.
    — Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
  • The camera roams from the top of their heads to their toes, wanders across their chests and backsides, soaking up the details of defiance.
    — Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2023
  • The forest camp, on both sides of the river, exists in defiance of the state, but also at its mercy.
    — Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2022
  • But lawyers and academics say that the Utah law represents a new level of defiance of FDA.
    — Bymeredith Wadman, science.org, 1 Apr. 2024
  • At the heart of the theatrical endeavor, though, is a spirit of defiance in the face of a war that has taken so much from so many.
    — Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024
  • For Eric and his friends, just existing is a form of defiance.
    — James Longman, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2023
  • Finally Trump has to pay for his scheming and defiance of our laws.
    — Letters To The Editor, Orange County Register, 7 June 2024
  • The act of defiance served as a spark ton what would become the Arab Spring, in which numerous heads of state were forced out in uprisings.
    — Hannah Allam, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2024
  • And also the Cold War, when punk bands on either side of the Wall made music in defiance of national aims.
    — Jason Farago, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024
  • The tradition of Día de los Muertos is paradoxically both an embrace of the inevitability of death and defiance against it.
    — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defiance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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