Borrowed partly from French défiant, meaning mistrustful or challenging, the present participle of défier, to mistrust or challenge. It is also connected with defiance and the suffix -ant. The deeper family is linked to defy, which developed from ideas of renouncing faith or trust and then challenging openly.
What does defiant mean?
Defiant means openly resistant to authority, pressure, criticism, or defeat, often in a bold or proud way.
Is defiant positive or negative?
It depends on context. Defiant can praise courage against pressure, or criticize stubborn refusal to obey.
Is defiant an adjective?
Yes. Defiant is an adjective. The noun is defiance, and the verb is defy.
What is a defiant attitude?
A defiant attitude is a visibly resistant or challenging attitude toward authority, criticism, pressure, or control.
What does defiant tone mean?
A defiant tone sounds firm, challenging, and unwilling to back down.
What is the difference between defiant and confident?
Confident means sure of oneself. Defiant means confident or bold while resisting someone or something.
What are synonyms for defiant?
Useful synonyms include rebellious, disobedient, resistant, insubordinate, bold, unyielding, and unbowed.