1
as in disobeys
to go against the commands, prohibitions, or rules of
in those days a woman was brave if she defied fashion and wore white after Labor Day
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in confronts
to oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage
a rescue team willing to defy the raging storm
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4
as in resists
to refuse to give in to
a bicyclist who regularly defies illness and infirmity in order to compete in races
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defies
That is a recipe for political disruption that defies classic lines between Republicans and Democrats and between conservatives and liberals − particularly among younger voters who have less history with and allegiance to either party.
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Susan Page, USA Today, 12 Jan. 2026
The team behind the shock discovery (in more ways than one) is baffled by this beautiful arc of material, which defies expectations and current theories surrounding such stellar remains.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 12 Jan. 2026
After a figure from his past escapes prison, Trent defies orders and opens up a search that threatens to revisit old wounds that he's worked so hard to get past.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Denim defies occasion, simplifies dressing, and can make your personal style shine.
—India Roby, Glamour, 9 Jan. 2026
House of the Dragon takes viewers to the height of the Targaryen dynasty, where King Viserys (Paddy Considine) defies centuries of tradition by naming his daughter, Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy), as heir to the Iron Throne.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Jan. 2026
The idea refers to non-normative spaces in which a juxtaposition of scenes and stories allows the joining-together of divergent temporalities and locations in a way that defies patriarchal and authoritarian regulations of social and political topoi.
—Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Yet the novel’s essential form openly defies the profit-seeking world.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2026
As advocates have pointed out, these qualifiers are vague enough that they could be wielded against anyone who expresses their sexuality or defies traditional gender roles.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defies
Verb
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This season dares us to decide if their hookup is a betrayal or the most honest thing either of them have done all series.—
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If someone else dares to attempt to do any of these tasks, then all hell breaks loose!—
Verb
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Freedom of assembly and association has deteriorated, while independent civil society confronts shrinking space to operate.—
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On a remote island in the Chesapeake Bay, a deeply rooted Christian fishing community confronts the erosion of land and tradition, as their centuries-old way of life, anchored in faith, approaches a turning point.—
Verb
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Writer-director Craig Brewer resists the temptation to make Mike and Claire in any way pitiful or worthy of derision.—
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Everything is wrapped in a Ceraluminum ceramic finish that resists fingerprints and scratches while feeling premium in hand.—
Verb
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In episode six, Max and Holly find the memory that Henry has been hiding from, and while Max kind of ignores it, Holly hangs back and watches how Henry is affected by having killed that man.—
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That demand ignores long-standing practice, misunderstands the Bears’ legal obligations and risks undermining one of Illinois’ most important economic assets.—
Verb
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January challenges you to reconcile comfort with growth.—
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It’s been framing its fight against Disney as one for consumers, a case that challenges the old guard’s pricing playbook.—
Verb
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The Charlotte region faces a harsh night on Thursday, including dangerous wind chills, according to the National Weather Service.—
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Savage was arrested and now faces one charge of child abuse.—
Verb
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Roarke LaCoursiere, with the Indiana Catholic Conference, said the organization opposes the bill because while its members stand with the victims and their families, the death penalty doesn’t bring about justice.—
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The governor rightly opposes raising nation-leading personal income taxes but may be cracking open the door to raising business or other taxes to respond to federal cuts.—
Cite this Entry
“Defies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defies. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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