defiant

defiant — adjective

1. showing that you openly refuse to accept someone's authority or follow their rul

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

showing that you openly refuse to accept someone's authority or follow their rules, often with a proud or bold attitude, even when you know there may be negative consequences.

Example

The defiant teenager crossed her arms and stared silently at the principal.

defiant + body language (crossed arms, stare)

Even after losing the election, the defiant candidate refused to congratulate his opponent.

remain + defiant after defeat

Common collocations
  • defiant stance
  • defiant act
  • defiant gesture
  • defiant look
  • defiant smile
  • remain defiant
  • stay defiant
Synonyms
  • rebellious

    stronger focus on actively fighting against authority rather than merely refusing

  • insubordinate

    more formal; specifically about disobeying a superior in a workplace or military context

  • disobedient

    broader and less intense; can apply to children or pets, not just authority figures

  • resistant

    less emotional; describes a passive unwillingness rather than active challenge

Antonyms
  • obedient

    willingly following rules or orders

  • compliant

    ready to accept rules or requests without resistance

  • submissive

    accepting authority without any resistance, often too willingly

Grammar Patterns

be + defiant

remain / stay + defiant

defiant + noun (look, smile, gesture, act, move)

Usage Note

Frequently describes visible actions or body language — a defiant look, shrug, or smile — rather than just an internal feeling. The word often carries a tone of pride or courage behind the refusal.

Common Mistakes

The student was defiant to obey the teacher.
The student was defiant and refused to obey the teacher.
'defiant' is not followed by a to-infinitive clause.
She was defiant with her parents.
She was defiant toward her parents.
use 'toward(s)' or a direct object without a preposition, not 'with.'

2. describing someone who refuses to listen to negative feedback or accept that oth

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing someone who refuses to listen to negative feedback or accept that others might be right, and instead continues to defend their position or actions.

Example

Despite the bad reviews from critics, the director remained defiant about his artistic choices.

defiant about + [noun] (topic of disagreement)

Hui was defiant when her teammates pointed out several errors in her presentation.

Common collocations
  • defiant response
  • defiant attitude
  • remain defiant about
  • grow defiant
  • defiant despite evidence
Synonyms
  • stubborn

    more general; describes a personality trait, not just a reaction to criticism

  • uncompromising

    formal; focuses on refusing to lower standards rather than rejecting feedback

  • unrepentant

    specifically about refusing to feel sorry for something done wrong

  • obstinate

    more negative and disapproving than 'defiant'

Antonyms
  • receptive

    willing to listen to new ideas or feedback

  • open-minded

    ready to consider different opinions

  • contrite

    feeling or showing regret for having done wrong

Grammar Patterns

be + defiant

remain / stay / grow + defiant

defiant + about + noun

defiant + despite + noun

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (OPEN RESISTANCE): here the resistance is directed at opinions or judgments, not at authority figures or rules. The person is described as unwilling to change their position in the face of contrary evidence or evaluation.

Common Mistakes

She was defiant to her boss's feedback.
She was defiant about her work despite her boss's feedback.
'defiant to' is non-standard; use 'defiant about' for the issue or 'defiant despite' for the challenge.

Word family

  • defiance
    nounB2
  • defiantly
    adverbB2
  • defy
    verbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a refusal to follow rules or authority, but they differ in intensity and context. 'Defiant' emphasises an open, often proud refusal that can be shown through attitude or body language — it is the most commonly used in everyday speech. 'Rebellious' suggests a stronger, more active fight against authority, often involving a desire to change the system (a rebellious teenager, rebellious soldiers). 'Insubordinate' is formal and limited to hierarchies such as the military or the workplace; it describes a direct refusal to follow a superior's order. 'Disobedient' is the mildest and broadest term — it can apply to children, pets, or anyone failing to follow a rule, without the tone of pride or challenge that 'defiant' carries. For example: 'The soldier was insubordinate and refused the order' (formal, hierarchical); 'The rebellious crowd demanded new elections' (active opposition); 'The defiant student simply stared at the teacher and said nothing' (proud, silent resistance).

defiant ↗rebelliousinsubordinatedisobedient

Common collocations

Nouns

  • a defiant streak
  • a defiant tone
  • a defiant attitude
  • a defiant spirit

Adverbs

  • openly defiant
  • stubbornly defiant
  • proudly defiant
  • angrily defiant
  • increasingly defiant

Phrases

  • in a defiant gesture
  • with a defiant look
  • remain defiant in the face of

Prepositions

  • defiant of
  • defiant in the face of
  • defiant toward
  • defiant about
  • defiant despite

Etymology

Old FrenchLatinEnglish

'Defiant' entered English from Old French 'defier' (to challenge, to distrust), which was formed from 'des-' (away) and 'fier' (to trust, from Latin 'fidere'). The core idea is 'to refuse to trust or accept someone else's authority,' which matches the modern meaning of openly challenging power or criticism.