How to Use defiant in a Sentence

defiant

adjective
Definition of defiantnext
Synonyms for defiantnext
  • He's taken a defiant stand on the issue.
  • There's a black sheep in the game, along with a red sheep who is more defiant than the others.
    — Trilby Beresford, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Aug. 2020
  • Many musicians have been defiant in the wake of the tragedy.
    — Kevin O Donnell, PEOPLE.com, 28 May 2017
  • Still, Bailey remained defiant in the face of the judge’s threats to jail him.
    — Andrew Goldman, Town & Country, 3 June 2021
  • As the hours passed, the mood shifted from defiant to resigned, and the crowd started to thin.
    — Bloomberg.com, 5 Apr. 2018
  • Most have brought a more defiant, Trumpian tone with them.
    — NBC News, 21 Mar. 2021
  • The dogs seem tense; the groundhog a little defiant and a lot hungry.
    — Joel Shannon, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2020
  • But the Gillis that showed up to Studio 8H was less defiant than chastened.
    — Rebecca Sun, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2024
  • The plot loosely mirrors key themes in the songs, which are steeped in exile and loss, but still lusty and defiant.
    — Stephen Dalton, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 May 2017
  • In the aftermath of the U.S. and British strikes on dozens of Houthi positions, the movement was defiant.
    — Loveday Morris, Washington Post, 13 Jan. 2024
  • Willy, a pianist, is more defiant and wants to speak truth to power.
    — Peter Marks, Washington Post, 19 Jan. 2023
  • Adorned with locks and keys, dice and gems, this combat boot is equal parts charming and defiant.
    — Katie Attardo, Marie Claire, 28 Sep. 2020
  • Hunched over the light of their phones, some young people remain defiant.
    — New York Times, 6 Feb. 2021
  • Through the process of going public, Mr. Karp has been defiant.
    — Erin Griffith, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2020
  • In responding to the sanctions, Bassil struck a defiant tone.
    — Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2020
  • Some voters were defiant in the face of Lukashenko's vow not to tolerate any protests.
    — Yuras Karmanau, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Aug. 2020
  • Some voters were defiant in the face of Lukashenko’s vow not to tolerate any protests.
    — Yuras Karmanau, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Aug. 2020
  • For decades, the clinic staff and volunteers have struck a defiant tone.
    — Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2022
  • Many voters were defiant in the face of Lukashenko's vow not to tolerate any protests.
    — Yuras Karmanau, Star Tribune, 9 Aug. 2020
  • And Jun has been defiant in the face of official pressure.
    — Paula Hancocks, CNN, 19 Aug. 2020
  • The girls in her pieces are beautiful, defiant, fierce and in danger.
    — Darryl Ratcliff, Dallas News, 11 Nov. 2020
  • In some cities, the mood among Ukraine’s supporters was defiant.
    — Matt Surman Anushka Patil Juston Jones Julie Ho Julie Ho Julie Ho Monika Pronczuk Emile Ducke Andrea Kannapell The New York Times Monika Pronczuk Anushka Patil Farnaz Fassihi Andrea Kannapell Carlotta Gall Cassandra Vinograd Cassandra Vinograd Michael D. Shear Marc Santora Maya King Michael D. Shear Marc Santora Michael D. Shear Cassandra Vinograd Farnaz Fassihi Farnaz Fassihi Farnaz Fassihi Farna, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2023
  • So laugh in the face of the old year, and wear your dazzling dripping drops as a defiant vote of confidence in a brighter future.
    — Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, 22 Dec. 2023
  • The Astros seem defiant, arrogant and ready to take on all doubters.
    — Ann Killion, SFChronicle.com, 5 Oct. 2020
  • The bombing had filled him, and through him Greenpeace, with even more defiant purpose.
    — The Economist, 22 Aug. 2019
  • The other speakers of the closing rally struck a defiant note as well.
    — Bruce Sterling, WIRED, 12 Sep. 2013
  • This may be his best and most defiant work from this period.
    — Thomas Page, CNN, 23 Sep. 2022
  • Mckenna posed with her tongue out and a defiant, mischievous smile.
    — Caitlin Flynn, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2023
  • Smith plays Peter as a man of faith, penitent to his god, but defiant of men.
    — Peter Debruge, Variety, 30 Nov. 2022
  • On the contrary, the prime minister’s tone was defiant.
    — The Economist, 2 Dec. 2019

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defiant.' 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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