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Meaning of defiance
The primary meaning of "defiance" is a willingness to disobey or challenge authority.
Etymology of defiance
The word "defiance" originated from the Old French word "defiance" or "desfiance", which is derived from the verb "desfier", meaning "to challenge" or "to defy"
The word has been used in the English language since the 14th century to describe a bold or courageous act of disobedience or challenge to authority
Synonyms
resistance
rebellion
disobedience
noncompliance
insubordination
contempt
disregard
scorn
mockery
ridicule
derision
impudence
audacity
boldness
fearlessness
bravery
courage
daring
recklessness
temerity
effrontery
insolence
impertinence
cheekiness
sauciness
brazenness
shamelessness
impishness
rebelliousness
mutiny
insurgency
revolution
uprising
protest
demonstration
strike
boycott
noncooperation
dissent
opposition
contrariness
recalcitrance
stubbornness
obstinacy
intransigence
refractoriness
uncooperativeness
Definitions
- A bold and courageous willingness to disobey or challenge authority
- * A refusal to comply with or obey a rule, law, or authority
- * A show of contempt or disregard for something or someone
Usage Examples
- The protesters showed defiance in the face of police brutality, refusing to back down from their demands
- * The company's decision to ignore the regulator's warnings was seen as an act of defiance
- * The artist's use of provocative imagery was a defiance of traditional norms and values
Antonyms
obedience
compliance
submission
acquiescence
surrender
capitulation
cooperation
collaboration
conformity
meekness
submissiveness
passivity
docility
tameness
tractability
manageability
obedience
subservience
servility
abjectness
cravenness
cowardice
fearfulness
timidity
hesitation
reluctance
unwillingness
disinclination
apathy
indifference