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
Duane Michals, one of the 20th century’s most important photographers, known for making sequences of images that conveyed enigmatic narratives and defied the conventions of the medium, died on Tuesday, June 9, at 94, in a Manhattan hospital.
—
Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 11 June 2026
The conflict has so far defied international efforts to bring a lasting peace.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
The increasingly deep and audacious Ukrainian strikes have defied Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s claim that Moscow is winning the war, now in its fifth year.
—Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
And, just as Persepolis did not follow the blueprint of post-Revolution stories, Satrapi’s politics also defied convention.
—Joobin Bekhrad, Time, 10 June 2026
But Collins, who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, has repeatedly defied attempts to oust her.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 10 June 2026
His success in the Mountain State defied the myth that a Catholic candidate could never win the White House.
—Matthew Smith, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
That defied an almost 27% plunge in sales of new EVs and a 7% slide in overall new-vehicle deliveries.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
For years, Alabama, where a quarter of the population is Black, had defied federal court orders, including one reaffirmed by the Supreme Court itself in 2023, to create a second majority- or plurality-Black congressional district.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 11 June 2026
The conflict has so far defied international efforts to bring a lasting peace.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
The increasingly deep and audacious Ukrainian strikes have defied Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s claim that Moscow is winning the war, now in its fifth year.
—Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
And, just as Persepolis did not follow the blueprint of post-Revolution stories, Satrapi’s politics also defied convention.
—Joobin Bekhrad, Time, 10 June 2026
But Collins, who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, has repeatedly defied attempts to oust her.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 10 June 2026
His success in the Mountain State defied the myth that a Catholic candidate could never win the White House.
—Matthew Smith, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
That defied an almost 27% plunge in sales of new EVs and a 7% slide in overall new-vehicle deliveries.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
For years, Alabama, where a quarter of the population is Black, had defied federal court orders, including one reaffirmed by the Supreme Court itself in 2023, to create a second majority- or plurality-Black congressional district.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defied
Verb
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However, all of the city’s fire stations seemingly disobeyed the mayor by lowering their flags.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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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
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The paddock that no one had dared to demolish.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
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Someone else dared someone else to be a legend.—
Thomas Lake,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The visitor was later confronted by firefighters stationed at the attraction and escorted from the site, the agency reported.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
-
The man heard the disturbance and went outside to help, but the bear also aggressively confronted him, according to police.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Verb
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The suit alleges she was informed the officer resisted calls to attend remedial training going so far as to tell his fellow officers that Internal Affairs could open up an insubordination case on him.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
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Media buyers have pressed for rollbacks in rates on cable, and the media companies have resisted.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Verb
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The controversy surrounding the transition blush technique is just another example of how easily, in many different fields and industries, Black women’s contributions go ignored, overlooked and erased.—
Janice Gassam Asare,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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Educators play a crucial role in our society, and the affordability crisis among America’s teachers can no longer be ignored.—
Randi Weingarten,
Time,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Even after his death a decade later, his family kept pushing for a new hearing, which was repeatedly challenged by prosecutors in all three levels of court.—
Yumi Asada,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
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Incumbent Jared Moskowitz, whose district was splintered by redistricting, is being challenged by progressive candidate Oliver Larkin in the August primary.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Those who declined frequently faced intense criticism from media outlets and activists.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
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Putin has increasingly faced setbacks on the battlefield as a Ukrainian drone strike campaign disrupts critical logistics routes and public support at home wanes.—
Jane Lytvynenko,
NBC news,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Rose Wang, Bluesky's chief operating officer, told CNBC on the sidelines of SXSW in London on Wednesday that the smaller open-source platform isn't opposed to regulation but that smaller players in the industry should be protected.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
6 June 2026
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The idea is vehemently opposed by the players union.—
Jordan Fabian,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defied. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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