defiance
de·fi·ance
noun \di-ˈfī-ən(t)s, dē-\Definition of DEFIANCE
1
: the act or an instance of defying : challenge
2
: disposition to resist : willingness to contend or fight
— in defiance of
: contrary to : despite <seemingly in defiance of the laws of physics>
See Examples of DEFIANCE
- <any defiance of the authoritarian regime would have dire consequences>
- <the troubled youth seems to have an ingrained defiance to authority of any sort>
First Known Use of DEFIANCE
15th century
Related to DEFIANCE
Synonyms: balkiness, contrariness, contumacy, disobedience, frowardness, insubordination, intractability, obstreperousness, rebellion, rebelliousness, recalcitrance, refractoriness, unruliness, waywardness, willfulness
Antonyms: compliance, obedience, submission, subordinateness, subordination, tractability, tractableness
Related Words: civil disobedience, noncooperation; discourteousness, disrespect, impertinence, impoliteness, impudence, inconsiderateness, inconsideration, insolence, rudeness, ungraciousness; doggedness, hardheadedness, mulishness, obduracy, obdurateness, obstinacy, obstinateness, peevishness, pertinaciousness, pertinacity, perversity, pigheadedness, self-will, stubbornness, tenaciousness, tenacity; knavery, mischievousness, naughtiness
Near Antonyms: agreeability, amenability, amiability; slavishness, submissiveness, subservience, subserviency; trainability; deference, docility, dutifulness
Rhymes with DEFIANCE
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