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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of defy
In my novel, the characters are often seen defying their religion.
—
Deena Elgenaidi, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
To Subu’s defenders, that logic defies both fairness and decency.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
Stories like The Sea, which spotlights a 12-year-old boy from the West Bank, who defies Israeli authorities in an audacious effort to fulfil his dream of seeing the ocean.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Israel’s cabinet ratified the agreement last night, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu notably defying his hard-right coalition allies in supporting the deal.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defy
Deena Elgenaidi, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025
To Subu’s defenders, that logic defies both fairness and decency.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
Stories like The Sea, which spotlights a 12-year-old boy from the West Bank, who defies Israeli authorities in an audacious effort to fulfil his dream of seeing the ocean.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Israel’s cabinet ratified the agreement last night, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu notably defying his hard-right coalition allies in supporting the deal.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defy
Verb
-
Under military law, service members are obligated to obey lawful orders, but to disobey unlawful orders.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Washington made the move over Petro’s participation in a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York City, as well as his call for US troops deployed in American cities to disobey orders.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Frankie screamed with a mix of delight and frustration that her owner dared to leave her there alone, which was to be expected.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Ingelsby wanted there to be a scene where Grasso almost dared Tom take him down.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And though the visuals start calmly enough, with an old man puttering through a deserted city, the flashing blue, green, and red lights inject a jolt of madness that’s pushed into the surreal as the man confronts giant statue heads of the Weeknd and Moroder floating above the city.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The 2024 prize went to Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots Japanese organization of atomic bomb survivors, at a time when the world was once again confronting the specter of nuclear weapons, amid Russia’s threats during its war in Ukraine.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island have long resisted the ongoing settler colonial project that is now the United States.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Ever since the company’s founder was pushed out and fled Russia in 2014 for resisting Kremlin demands and the company was handed over to Putin allies, VK has been more than pliant in cooperating with the state.—
Justin Sherman,
The Atlantic,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Prizegivers have also in the past been accused of being snobbish, of having an anti-American bias and of ignoring some of the giants of literature, including Russia's Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, France's Emile Zola and Ireland's James Joyce.—
Simon Johnson,
USA Today,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Hoping the broadcasts ignore that will always be a fruitless endeavor.—
Patrick Iversen,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The group said the AI badge will challenge scouts to examine the effects of AI on daily life, learn about the impacts of deepfakes, and work on a project that either incorporates AI or explains the technology in a way other scouts will understand.—
Gordon Ebanks,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
-
This idea weaves through the novel as Sadie, the protagonist, becomes increasingly drawn to Bruno’s worldview, challenging her sense of self and mission.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Weiss now faces three major challenges.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
13 Oct. 2025
-
But companies that don’t have an issue with undocumented workers are facing the friction of having employees pulled aside by ICE officials.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Neighbors for a Better San Diego, a group that represents mostly single-family homeowners and opposes nearby higher-density development, criticized the report for not tracking how many homes get demolished to make way for new projects.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The government reopened after legislation was passed that didn’t include funding for the aircraft carrier, or for water projects that Carter opposed on similar grounds.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defy. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share