1
as in to disobey
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 to confront
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 to resist
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 defy
Expressions that seem to defy explanation happen to be our favorite kind, and the meanings are often just inherently known by those who grew up hearing it.
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Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
Days later, a report on gross domestic product defied concerns stoked by the hiring slowdown.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
That Ole Miss continues to defy the odds really speaks to new coach Pete Golding’s work keeping the team together.
—Paul Myerberg, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
From there, the goal becomes not winning the war but defying indomitable forces to be together.
—Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defy
Verb
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Hours after the shooting, Noem defended the ICE officer who shot Good, saying the woman had blocked federal officers with her SUV and disobeyed orders to get out of her vehicle.—
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In response, the Indiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents Pakota Valley, filed a new lawsuit against the policy and filed a motion alleging the city is disobeying court orders.—
Verb
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Only the ice would dare utter such a taunt to the Quad God.—
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The dress featured a sparkly insect motif on the chest and a daring hip-high slit.—
Verb
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Reuters/Social media In Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city, some 450 miles northeast of Tehran, video purported to show protesters confronting security forces.—
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But after reuniting at Alex's brother David's (Miles Heizer) Barcelona wedding, the pair are forced to confront their feelings.—
Verb
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After a man appears to resist, the situation escalates as several agents tackle him and place him in handcuffs.—
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Pahlavi has encouraged Iranians to resist the Islamic regime by participating in mass protests.—
Verb
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Authorities said Sutton ignored multiple commands to comply and resisted detention.—
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The background checks on Cook, if in fact there were any, were totally ignored.—
Verb
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However, former Federal Air Marshal Peter Johnson — who founded Archway Defense, which has trained state, local and federal law enforcement in firearms for the past decade — told WCCO the street is not the place to challenge a federal agent's orders.—
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Bringing back engagement Longbow also wants to challenge how electric cars feel from behind the wheel.—
Verb
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Still, the company faces the same existential headwinds that have scared other would-be moguls away from the news business.—
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Chicago is facing a dangerous lake-effect snow event early Monday morning.—
Verb
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The act of extinction, formalized thousands of miles away during the course of a tense meeting, had involved opposing factions in the company responsible for the destiny of Skinny Pedro and his companions.—
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And if Tommy is opposed to big risks, Cami can’t have him as the president of her company anymore.—
Cite this Entry
“Defy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defy. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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