defiance

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: de=fi=ance

OXFORD DICTIONARY

defiance, n.
1 open disobedience; bold resistance.
2 a challenge to fight or maintain a cause, assertion, etc.

Idiom

in defiance of disregarding; in conflict with.

Etymology

ME f. OF (as DEFY)

THESAURUS

defiance

audacity, boldness, bravado, brazenness, call, cartel, challenge, combative reaction, command, complaint, contempt, contrariness, contumaciousness, contumacy, counteraction, dare, declaration of war, defi, defiance of authority, defy, demur, despite, dispute, dissent, dissentience, effrontery, factiousness, fractiousness, hardihood, headstrongness, impudence, incorrigibility, indocility, indomitability, insolence, insubordination, insuppressibility, insurgency, intractability, intractableness, irrepressibility, muster, negativism, noncooperation, objection, obstinacy, obstreperousness, opposition, order, orneriness, passive resistance, perversity, protest, reaction, rebelliousness, rebuff, recalcitrance, recalcitrancy, recalcitration, refractoriness, reluctance, remonstrance, renitence, renitency, repellence, repellency, repulse, repulsion, resistance, restiveness, revolt, shrewishness, stand, stubbornness, stump, summons, temerity, uncontrollability, uncooperativeness, ungovernability, unmalleability, unmanageability, unmoldableness, unruliness, unsubmissiveness, untamableness, wildness, withstanding

ROGET THESAURUS

defiance

Defiance

N defiance, daring, dare, challenge, cartel, threat, war cry, war whoop, chest-beating, chest-thumping, saber rattling, defiant, defying, with 'with arms akimbo', in defiance of, in the teeth of, under one's very nose, Int, do your worst!, come if you dare!, come on!, marry come up!, hoity toity!, noli me tangere, nemo me impune lacessit, don't tread on me, don't you dare, don't even think of it, Go ahead, make my day!.

Disobedience

N disobedience, insubordination, contumacy, infraction, infringement, violation, noncompliance, nonobservance, revolt, rebellion, mutiny, outbreak, rising, uprising, insurrection, emeute, riot, tumult, strike, barring out, defiance, mutinousness, mutineering, sedition, treason, high treason, petty treason, misprision of treason, premunire, lese majeste, violation of law, defection, secession, insurgent, mutineer, rebel, revolter, revolutionary, rioter, traitor, quisling, carbonaro, sansculottes, red republican, bonnet rouge, communist, Fenian, frondeur, seceder, secessionist, runagate, renegade, brawler, anarchist, demagogue, Spartacus, Masaniello, Wat Tyler, Jack Cade, ringleader, disobedient, uncomplying, uncompliant, unsubmissive, unruly, ungovernable, breachy, insubordinate, impatient of control, incorrigible, restiff, restive, refractory, contumacious, recusant, recalcitrant, resisting, lawless, mutinous, seditions, insurgent, riotous, unobeyed, unbidden, seditiosissimus quisque ignavus, unthread the rude eye of rebellion.

Courage

N courage, bravery, valor, resoluteness, boldness, spirit, daring, gallantry, intrepidity, contempt of danger, defiance of danger, derring-do, audacity, rashness, dash, defiance, confidence, self-reliance, manliness, manhood, nerve, pluck, mettle, game, heart, heart of grace, spunk, guts, face, virtue, hardihood, fortitude, intestinal fortitude, firmness, heart of oak, bottom, backbone, spine, resolution, bulldog courage, prowess, heroism, chivalry, exploit, feat, achievement, heroic deed, heroic act, bold stroke, man, man of mettle, hero, demigod, Amazon, Hector, lion, tiger, panther, bulldog, gamecock, fighting-cock, bully, fire eater, courageous, brave, valiant, valorous, gallant, intrepid, spirited, spiritful, high-spirited, high-mettled, mettlesome, plucky, manly, manful, resolute, stout, stout-hearted, iron-hearted, lion-hearted, heart of oak, Penthesilean, bold, bold-spirited, daring, audacious, fearless, dauntless, dreadless, aweless, undaunted, unappalled, undismayed, unawed, unblanched, unabashed, unalarmed, unflinching, unshrinking, unblanching, unapprehensive, confident, self-reliant, bold as a lion, bold as brass, enterprising, adventurous, venturous, venturesome, dashing, chivalrous, soldierly, heroic, fierce, savage, pugnacious, strong-minded, hardy, doughty, firm, determined, dogged, indomitable, up to, up to the scratch, upon one's mettle, reassured, unfeared, undreaded, one's blood being up, courage sans peur, fortes fortuna adjuvat, have I not in my time heard lions roar, I dare do all that may become a man, male vincetis sed vincite, omne solum forti patria, self-trust is the essence of heroism, stimulos dedit oemula virtus, strong and great, a hero, teloque animus proestantior omni, there, is always safety in valor, virtus ariete fortier.

Threat

N threat, menace, defiance, abuse, minacity, intimidation, denunciation, fulmination, commination, gathering clouds, threatening, menacing, minatory, minacious, comminatory, abusive, in terrorem, ominous, defiant, under the ban, Int, vae victis!, at your peril!, do your worst!.