Definition of defy
defied
;defying
transitive verb
1 archaic : to challenge to combat
2 : to challenge to do something considered impossible : dare defied us to name a better movie
3 : to confront with assured power of resistance : disregard defy public opinion in trouble for defying a court order
4 : to resist attempts at : withstand the paintings defy classification a decision that defies all logic
Explore Merriam-Webster
Examples of defy in a Sentence
She defied her parents and dropped out of school.
The group has continued to defy all efforts to stop them.
Recent Examples of defy from the Web
-
Trump loves defying conventional wisdom — including that of his own aides.
-
Einstein condensates not actually robust In the movie Spectral, the ultra-cold condensates swirl around, kill people by freezing them from the inside, and defy any attempts to destroy them with conventional weapons.
-
In her complaint, Strahler says Kobach defied orders from U.S. District Court Judge Julie Robinson and that a contempt hearing was scheduled but later canceled.
-
Twenty years removed from her Wimbledon debut, ageless Venus Williams defied the odds and reached the tournament final with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Britain’s best player, Johanna Konta.
-
The seizures defy medical cure, and some of them continue for weeks, requiring Aidan to be airlifted to children’s hospitals in Denver or Seattle, said his father, Ben Long.
-
The Ravens have seen a player defy some doctors’ orders and return after a life-changing injury before: tight end Dennis Pitta, who had fractured his hip twice in 2013-14.
-
During these difficult days, may we all be blessed with love that defies the rule.
-
That’s borderline star territory, great news for an Angels club that continues to defy expectations with Mike Trout still missing in action. 12.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'defy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of defy
Middle English, to renounce faith in, challenge, from Anglo-French desfier, defier, from des- de- + fier to entrust, from Vulgar Latin *fidare, alteration of Latin fidere to trust — more at bide
Recent Examples of defy from the Web
-
Many of the sightings turn out to be explainable, the authors say, but a small percentage defy resolution.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'defy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of defy
see 1defy
DEFY Defined for English Language Learners
defy
playDefinition of defy for English Language Learners
-
: to refuse to obey (something or someone)
-
: to make (something) very difficult or impossible
-
: to resist or fight (something)
DEFY Defined for Kids
Learn More about defy
-
See words that rhyme with defy Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for defy Spanish Central: Translation of defy Nglish: Translation of defy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of defy for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up defy? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!