Defiant Definition – Meaning and Usage In A Sentence

How many times have you heard someone say, “that’s not how it’s spelled,” or “you don’t pronounce it that way.” And how often have you wanted just to keep quiet and ignore the word “defiant.”? Well, all this happens when you don’t have an idea of defiant definition, meaning, and usage in a sentence.

Defiant

is the refusal to obey authority or comply with rules. The word is similar to subversion, disobedience, rebellion, confrontation, or opposition. Defiant is often used in different contexts to describe someone who refuses to comply with set laws or does what they are told not to do.

This “defiant” blog post explores the definition, meaning, and usage of the word. Are you tired of correcting others, or you’re the one who’s always updated? Stay with me – by the end of this post; you’ll be a defiant definition master!

What Is the Definition of Defiant?

Defiant is defined as an act of disposition and resistance. That closely relates to a “state of refusal to comply.” This can be seen when we use the phrase “a defiant teenager,” which means adolescents who do not listen to their parents, teachers, or older people.

The behavior of a defiant teenager, in this case, shows a state of resistance. Defiant people sometimes do not follow the rules because they think they don’t apply to them. Some even push limits and try out new things, even though they’re dangerous.

Interestingly, someone can be defiant while not committing a crime. When laws are oppressive, the refusal to comply may be moral or legal depending on various factors like severity of the violation, reasons for violation, whether harm was caused, and difficult circumstances.

What Is the Meaning of Defiant?

Defiant can also mean holding an attitude of rebelliousness toward something or someone. When you resist or oppose authority aggressiveness, you are a defiant person. And this is quite common in many nations.

You’ll realize some boldness in defiant people even when the “enemy” seems to overcome them. Defiant people also break the rules as a form of protest. For example, if citizens in a particular nation disagree with government policies, they may refuse to pay taxes as an act of civil disobedience. Such citizens are defiant.

Defiant Vs. Defiance

These are two common words that people use interchangeably. We already know that ‘defiant’ means bold refusal, an adjective. However, defiance is a noun that means a feeling of being defiant.

Both defiant and defiance have a close application with “defy.” In fact, “defying” means the refusal or going against. It’s, therefore, true to say that defiant, defiance, defies, and defying are derived from the word defy. Let us explain this in different scenarios.

• People might show defiance by refusing food or medication from doctors because they know it will make them feel better, but they want to continue receiving sympathy for their illness.
• Another scenario would be when you refuse your school’s offer for private tutoring even though you know you need help in math class; this could be considered defiance as well.
• The police officer told the young man that he would give him a ticket, but the energetic man hesitated. That is because he was so defiant.

How to Use Defiant in a Sentence?

Defiant application in sentences goes beyond showcasing ‘rebelliousness.’ Based on the field you are in when using the word, the meaning might vary.

In most cases, people will replace the word with defiance to fit the context. Before we look at that, here’s how you can use defiant in sentences.

• The child is being defiant; she will not rectify her mistakes despite multiple warnings.
• Even though they were threatened, the teenagers remained defiant.
• The puppy was feeling defiant after his bath.
• She defiantly rode away on a segway after our conversation.
• I used to be very defiant as a child, but my mom always made me regret it later.
• His father cannot back down once he is being defied; he will do anything to bring the defiance down.
• The woman’s eyes displayed her defiant attitude.
• They are refusing to sign for the package; they say it is because they are being defiant (refusing to cooperate).

Defiant Use in Different Contexts

In psychology, defiance or oppositional defiant disorder is a pattern of negativistic attitudes and disobedient or hostile behavior towards authorities figures. It is first noticed during childhood or early adolescence. It manifests as opposition to authority, stubbornness, argumentativeness, irrationality, or vindictiveness.

In the context of mental health law in some countries, including the United Kingdom and Australia, “defiant disorder” is a mental health diagnosis given to juveniles or young adults brought before the court on account of their alleged persistent defiance of authority (such as parents, teachers, social workers, or police).

In the context of drug use, defiance means “a refusal to obey the commands of a court relating to a verdict in a criminal trial.” A defendant who fails to report for drug testing as required by a criminal justice agency may be considered defiant.

Also, a detainee or prisoner’s refusal to participate in treatment or rehabilitation programs or refusal to accept discipline for rule violations by the facility may be considered defiant.

Is Defiant Always Negative?

You can use defiant in both positive and negative instances. For instance, refusing to do something that will have bad consequences in your family shows defiance, but it’s beneficial in the long run. Sometimes, the reason behind defiance isn’t always intentional; it can be due to a medical condition or illness.

For example, in a school setting, being defiant is often considered disrespectful to teachers. However, when it comes to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it’s often much more challenging to tell whether or not the child is just acting in a way that is expected based on their neurology.

Note that some people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD), or conduct disorder may exhibit defiant or disobedient behavior.

10 Examples of Defiant in a Sentence

We have listed ten examples of ‘defiant’ in sentences below, and in each case, we’ve showcased things that happen in real life on a daily basis. That’s the best way to understand the usage of the word. Let us take a look.

1. The child was defiant when his mother told him to do his chores.
2. Sally appeared to be defiant on the surface, but she had a tough life and was just trying to protect herself from being hurt again.
3. Our team easily won over their team because they were so defiant about losing the game!
4. I get defiant when I drink because it gives me the courage to do temerarious things otherwise.
5. When you’re defiant, it often comes across as being rude and inconsiderate of others’ feelings.
6. The woman was told by her husband to straighten up, but she replied with a defiant look.
7. I want to be a successful writer, but it can be hard when you feel defiant about putting in the effort required to get there.
8. My daughter has been very defiant with her schoolwork lately, and it is causing some issues at home, she needs to purge that behavior.
9. My boss was so defiant and blinded by hubris that he would not approve of my vacation time even though I’ve been working nonstop.
10. The young boy had a defiant smile on his face as he was being put into the police car for stealing from a store.

How Do You Spell Defiant?

The usual spelling of defiant is mentioning the seven characters in the word separately as “d-e-f-i-a-n-t.” Phenotypically, the correct spelling as per the IPA phonetic alphabet is [d_ɪ_f_aɪə_n_t].

How Do You Pronounce Defiant?

The word defiant is popularly pronounced as /dɪ fʌɪənt/. However, it sounds like duh·fai·uhnt in British pronunciation and di·fai·uhnt in American pronunciation.

Defiant Synonyms

• Provocation
• Rebellion
• Impudence
• Confrontation
• Opposition
• Affront

Defiant Antonyms

• Respect
• Calm
• Peace
• Harmony
• Obedience
• Submission

How Many Syllables Are In Defiant?

Defiant has three syllables: de – fi – ant.

History & Etymology of Defiant

The history of Defiant dates back to the 14th century.

It comes from an Old French word defier that means provoking. The word defiant also has some basics from the late Middle English word ‘defiante’ and the Latin word ‘defendere,’ both of which mean “to set oneself against.” It first appeared in a Middle English manuscript and meant “to set oneself against (an enemy).”

You can notice the word’s history from the sequence of its etymology. Defiant use and meaning in the early centuries haven’t changed with how it’s applied in the modern world. That explains why people love using the word.

When was Defiant First Used?

Defiant was first used as an adjective in the mid-1500s and gained traction around 1837.

Conclusion

We hope this blog post has been a helpful introduction to the defiant concept. It’s great that now you can use defiant in a sentence correctly as an adjective or in its noun and verb forms without fear. If you want more information on this word, practice pronouncing and writing the word in different contexts. You can also try listening to podcast episodes about defiant definition – meaning and sentence usage.