adjective Uncommon

defiant

dih-FEYE-uhnt

Defiant (adjective) means Boldly resisting authority, opposition, or a challenge. Example: “The defiant teenager refused to apologise.”

adjective

Boldly resisting authority, opposition, or a challenge.

"The defiant teenager refused to apologise."

"She gave a defiant speech to her critics."

Word forms

more defiant comparative, defiants plural, most defiant superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

The _____ teenager refused to apologise.

From French défiant, from défier ("to defy"); a doublet of "diffident."

Origin: French

dareful rebellious recalcitrant truculent

docile obedient submissive dominant

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giant variant radiant valiant deviant reliant exfoliant brilliant compliant

What does “defiant” mean?

The word “defiant” means boldly resisting authority, opposition, or a challenge.

How do you pronounce “defiant”?

“Defiant” is pronounced dih-FEYE-uhnt (/dɪˈfaɪənt/ in IPA).

How do you use “defiant” in a sentence?

Here is “defiant” used in a sentence: “The defiant teenager refused to apologise.”

What is another word for “defiant”?

Words with a similar meaning to “defiant” include dareful, rebellious, recalcitrant and truculent.

What is the opposite of “defiant”?

The opposite of “defiant” — its antonyms — are docile, obedient, submissive and dominant.

What part of speech is “defiant”?

“Defiant” is an adjective.

Where does the word “defiant” come from?

The word “defiant” comes from French. From French défiant, from défier ("to defy"); a doublet of "diffident.".

Is “defiant” a common word?

“Defiant” is an uncommon word in modern English.

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