1
as in disobeyed
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in confronted
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 resisted
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
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Recent Examples of defied
The staff member defied management and reported the incidents to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, according to the lawsuit.
—
Lina Ruiz
may 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Valadao has repeatedly defied the odds by winning the left-leaning swing district six out of the past seven elections.
—Mathew Miranda
may 13, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
At every turn, Porter defied the expectations of his doctors and therapists.
—Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 11 May 2026
The climbers defied safety restrictions to attempt the 4,445-foot ascent; 17 were evacuated, some with minor burns.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Like the Indiana Republicans who lost their primaries this week, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson defied his party leaders on redistricting and drew the most competitive challenger of his career.
—Erin Cox, Washington Post, 9 May 2026
Proctor, who the State Police fired in early 2025, largely due to misconduct while investigating the Karen Read-John O’Keefe case, defied a subpoena to testify in a King murder case hearing last summer.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
At 41 years old, Vonn's return to the World Cup leaderboard after years of retirement had defied her doubters and turned the world's heads.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 6 May 2026
The documentary When Men Dance, which just held its world premiere at the Miami Film Festival, focuses on talented performers who have defied the taboo, throwing themselves body and soul into the artform.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 4 May 2026
Lina Ruiz
may 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Valadao has repeatedly defied the odds by winning the left-leaning swing district six out of the past seven elections.
—Mathew Miranda
may 13, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
At every turn, Porter defied the expectations of his doctors and therapists.
—Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 11 May 2026
The climbers defied safety restrictions to attempt the 4,445-foot ascent; 17 were evacuated, some with minor burns.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Like the Indiana Republicans who lost their primaries this week, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson defied his party leaders on redistricting and drew the most competitive challenger of his career.
—Erin Cox, Washington Post, 9 May 2026
Proctor, who the State Police fired in early 2025, largely due to misconduct while investigating the Karen Read-John O’Keefe case, defied a subpoena to testify in a King murder case hearing last summer.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
At 41 years old, Vonn's return to the World Cup leaderboard after years of retirement had defied her doubters and turned the world's heads.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 6 May 2026
The documentary When Men Dance, which just held its world premiere at the Miami Film Festival, focuses on talented performers who have defied the taboo, throwing themselves body and soul into the artform.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defied
Verb
-
However, all of the city’s fire stations seemingly disobeyed the mayor by lowering their flags.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The group says Ensign misled courts, disobeyed court orders and failed to intervene when lawyers under his supervision engaged in misconduct.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Their mother had dared their father to crash the car.—
Weike Wang,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
And if Black passengers dared to pull the curtain aside, the dining car steward would hurriedly pull the curtain closed, or worse.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The lawsuit alleges the captain later confronted Steward and attempted to pressure him into taking the matter to human resources in an effort to influence the investigation.—
Ben Wheeler
May 20,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2026
-
Those leaders charged with deciding who is cut will be questioned, scrutinized and even confronted.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
But Beijing, trying to cultivate local suppliers, has resisted that initiative.—
Ian King,
Fortune,
20 May 2026
-
In the 20th century, many farmers began crossing tomato varieties to create hybrids that looked uniform, resisted disease, and could withstand long-haul shipping to retailers miles away.—
Emily Saladino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
The state dashboard and local improvement plans Brown touted are singled out for criticism in the report, essentially validating concerns that reformers had voiced but were ignored.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
-
In an April statement, the union said the company ignored its March 18 letter and several requests by phone, asking to lift the lockout and allow members to return to work while negotiations continue.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Any advice for the time- or attention-challenged?—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 May 2026
-
The approval was then challenged in court by three Maine residents who claimed that thousands of the signatures were invalid because of defects in the collection and certification process, among other procedural violations.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
However, Iran’s national team — which has faced heightened scrutiny leading up to this summer’s World Cup — recently learned it will not be based in the United States once the tournament begins.—
Chantz Martin OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 May 2026
-
The Serbian president has faced international scrutiny for his hard-line tactics against the demonstrators in the last year, including arbitrary arrests and use of excessive force.—
Jovana Gec,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
The passage of that TIF district was controversial and was opposed by current Mayor John Laesch, who was an alderman at-large on the Aurora City Council at the time.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
-
As of this writing, more than 20 municipalities and half a dozen counties have opposed the new state flag.—
Jeremy Fugleberg,
Twin Cities,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defied. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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