Defiance

/dɪˈfaɪəns/

nounIntermediateCommonGeneral

Definitions

1

Open resistance; bold disobedience.

/dɪˈfaɪəns/

nounnegativeIntermediate
General

Open resistance or bold disobedience.

The student's defiance of school rules led to his suspension.

💡 Simply: Imagine your parents tell you to clean your room, but you cross your arms and say 'no!' That's defiance! It's like, 'I'm not doing what you told me!'.

👶 For kids: Being defiant means you're not listening and doing what you're told, like saying 'no' when someone asks you to do something.

More Examples

2

She showed defiance by refusing to cooperate with the police.

3

His act of defiance was a courageous stand against injustice.

How It's Used

Politics

"The protesters showed defiance against the government's new policies."

Social

"Her act of defiance was widely praised as a symbol of courage."

Idioms & expressions

in defiance of

Despite something; in opposition to something.

"In defiance of the rain, they continued the picnic."

From Middle English defiaunce, from Old French defiance, from defier ('to defy').

The word 'defiance' has been used to describe acts of resistance since the 14th century, often related to political or social conflicts.

Memory tip

Think of the 'def' in 'defiance' as a defense against authority. It's standing up against something.

defiencedefiancee

Usage

30%Spoken
70%Written